CORYNEBACTERIA - INCIDENCE AMONG SAMPLES SUBMITTED TO A CLINICAL LABORATORY FOR CULTURE

  • 1 January 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (1) , 36-41
Abstract
Over the period of one year, 83 corynebacteria isolates were identified in our laboratory, and their clinical relevance assessed by reference to patients whose clinical rotes were avaialble. Eleven species of corynebacteria [including minutissimum, C. pseudodiphtheriticum, C. striatum and C. kutscheri] were identified including four biotypes of C. jeikeium; six organisms were non-typeable; C. jeikeium and C. xerosis prodominated. Species identified in the literature as causing clinical infection were also isolated-through in smaller proportions-as were strains of C. jeikeium which were not multi-resistant to antibiotics. Immunocompromised patients and those with renal impairment had an increased frequency of corynebacteria. The isolation of C. jeikeium from the blood of a neonate suggests that this may be a potential pathogen in these patients. Antibiotic susceptibility of an organism was not a relaible marker of significance, and a relaible biotyping scheme should be adopted.