BACKGROUND: Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus) is an important human pathogen that causes neonatal pneumonia, sepsis, septic arthritis, and meningitis, as well as severe infections in immunocompromised adult patients. The streptococci produce several molecules important for virulence. METHODS: We used a murine model of sepsis and septic arthritis to assess the role of FbsA, a fibrinogen-binding adhesin of S. agalactiae as a virulence determinant. NMRI mice were inoculated intravenously with S. agalactiae strains isogenic for the expression of FbsA. RESULTS: Inoculation with wild-type (wt) streptococci resulted in significantly higher mortality, more-pronounced weight decrease, and more-severe arthritis, compared with inoculation with the FbsA mutant isogenic strain. Neither active nor passive immunization with FbsA or FbsA-specific antibodies, respectively, resulted in any protection against subsequent infection with the S. agalactiae wt strain. CONCLUSION: Our results clearly indicate that the expression of FbsA by Streptococcus agalactiae is a significant virulence determinant in septic arthritis and septicemia. However, because blocking of the fibrinogen binding properties did not protect the host against the action of FbsA-expressing streptococci, we believe that the FbsA molecule has some other presently unknown biological in vivo properties.