Invasive Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex infection and colonic neoplastic pathology in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review

The association between invasive infection caused by the Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) and colorectal neoplasia is well established in international literature. However, evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean remains scarce, fragmented, and methodologically heterogeneous. To map the primary evidence published in Latin America and the Caribbean on invasive SBSEC infection, with emphasis on post-infectious colonic evaluation, reported neoplastic findings, microbiological characterization, and regional knowledge gaps. A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Five bibliographic databases were searched without date restrictions. Study selection and extraction of 44 variables were performed independently by reviewer pairs. Of 210 records identified, 29 studies published between 1984 and 2025 were included, comprising 25 case reports and 4 case series and representing 79 invasive SBSEC infection episodes in 78 patients from nine countries. Infective endocarditis was the principal presentation in 19 of 29 studies (65.5%). One additional bacteremia series documented endocarditis in 6 of 23 episodes, whereas the remaining evidence described other invasive syndromes, including primary bacteremia (without a source), meningitis, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, septic arthritis, abscesses, and other systemic infections. Clinical colonic evaluation was documented in 22 studies (75.9%). Among the 25 studies with any documented colonic evaluation, either clinical or post-mortem, neoplastic findings were identified in 17 (68.0%), including adenocarcinoma in 11 studies (37.9% of all 29 studies) and adenomas in 6 (20.7%). Overall, 27 studies (93.1%) explicitly or implicitly recommended subsequent colonic evaluation. No eligible evidence was identified in 24 of the 33 countries considered. Regional evidence on invasive SBSEC infection and colonic neoplasia is limited, geographically concentrated, and dominated by case reports. Although colonic evaluation is frequently recommended, its documented implementation appears variable, particularly in institutional series. Prospective multicenter cohorts and regional registries are needed to estimate real-world colonoscopy adherence, diagnostic yield, taxonomic patterns, and clinical outcomes after invasive SBSEC infection.