Phenotypic characteristics of 31 strains of Corynebacterium striatum isolated from clinical samples

Abstract

31 Corynebacterium striatum strains recovered from clinical samples from 24 patients were characterized. Twenty (64%) strains were isolated from wound exudates, 5 (16%) were isolated from bronchial aspirates, 2 (7%) were isolated from urine, 2 (7%) were isolated from endotracheal tubes, 1 (3%) was isolated from a catheter, and 1 (3%) was isolated from empyema. The organisms were identified by conventional culture and phenotypic characterization, the API CORYNE system, and cellular fatty acid composition analyses. The colonies of C. striatum could be confused with those of coagulase-negative staphylococci upon primary isolation from clinical material. A consistent phenotypic pattern was observed: all strains reduced nitrate, hydrolyzed tyrosine, and produced acid from glucose, fructose, and sucrose but not from maltose. API CORYNE profile numbers were 3100105 (28 strains) and 3000105 (3 strains). Susceptibility testing of C. striatum was performed by disk diffusion. All strains were susceptible to both imipenem and vancomycin and resistant to fosfomycin; most strains were susceptible to ampicillin and cephalosporins and resistant to clindamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Performing a Gram stain of fosfomycin-resistant ''Staphylococcus-like'' colonies was critical in order to identify C. striatum.

Clinical microbiology of coryneform bacteria

“…Other characteristics may be helpful in identifying C. xerosis (probably C. amycolatum) and C. striatum. Martinez-Martinez et al (273) confirmed previous information (76) that C. striatum hydrolyzes tyrosine. They stated that C. striatum ferments sugars rapidly (24 to 36 h) whereas C. xerosis does not hydrolyze tyrosine and ferments sugars slowly (72 to 96 h).…”

Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiology of Corynebacterium striatum Isolated in a Tertiary Hospital in Turkey

“…Additionally, the increasing drug resistance in C. striatum strains limits treatment options. In earlier reports, C. striatum strains were susceptible to many antibiotics [21,22]. However, they have been reported to be multidrug-resistant in recent studies [16,[23][24][25].…”

Patient-to-patient spread of a single strain of Corynebacterium striatum causing infections in a surgical intensive care unit

“…Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive rods that are common members of the normal flora of human skin and mucous membranes. Apart from infections with Corynebacterium diphtheriae, it is difficult to distinguish harmless colonization with coryneform bacteria from infection caused by corynebacteria in clinical samples (4,6,15). Certain species of nondiphtheria corynebacteriae like Corynebacterium jeikeium and Corynebacterium urealyticum are already well recognized as opportunistic pathogens, especially in immunocompromised hosts or patients with intravascular catheters (5,12).…”