A life-threatening infection due to Corynebacterium striatum: a lesson learned

Abstract Because the genus Corynebacterium colonize the human skin, detection of Corynebacterium striatum in a sterile blood specimen is sometimes considered as contamination. An 80-year-old man who underwent cardiovascular operation presented with high-grade fever postoperatively. Corynebacterium s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 2018-04, Vol.26 (4), p.709-710
Main Authors: Masuda, Hirotada, Masai, Takafumi, Takatani, Mina, Kato, Haru
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic - surgery
Corynebacterium - isolation & purification
Corynebacterium Infections - drug therapy
Corynebacterium Infections - etiology
Corynebacterium Infections - microbiology
Humans
Male
Mediastinitis - drug therapy
Mediastinitis - etiology
Mediastinitis - microbiology
Surgical Wound Infection - drug therapy
Surgical Wound Infection - etiology
Surgical Wound Infection - microbiology
Vascular Surgical Procedures - adverse effects
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Summary:Abstract Because the genus Corynebacterium colonize the human skin, detection of Corynebacterium striatum in a sterile blood specimen is sometimes considered as contamination. An 80-year-old man who underwent cardiovascular operation presented with high-grade fever postoperatively. Corynebacterium striatum was detected in the blood and wound exudate, and the patient was diagnosed with mediastinitis due to Corynebacterium striatum. One month earlier, a patient with similar symptoms due to C. striatum-related mediastinitis died in our care. The Corynebacterium striatum isolates from both patients had identical biochemical and genetic characteristics, suggesting that Corynebacterium striatum was acquired nosocomially. We have learnt a lesson from this negative experience: early diagnosis of Corynebacterium striatum-related infection and early administration of glycopeptide antibiotics could have saved this patient. It is notable that C. striatum can cause life-threatening infection after cardiovascular operation.
ISSN:1569-9293
1569-9285
DOI:10.1093/icvts/ivx405