Infectious diseases specialists are calling for routine colonoscopies in certain patients with enterococcal bacteraemia because of its apparent link with colorectal cancer.

They have reviewed 180 enterococcal infection cases recorded at one Victorian pathology service over a seven-year period.

Among 12 patients undergoing colonoscopy, nine revealed undiagnosed colorectal neoplasms, including two adenocarcinomas and two instances of high-grade dysplasia.

The cases included six of seven patients referred because of Enterococcus faecalis and three of five referred because of infective endocarditis.