Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review
Abstract Background In most cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), an etiologic agent is not determined; the most common report from the microbiological evaluation of sputum cites “normal respiratory flora.” Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp., a component of this flora, is commonly viewed as...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Pneumonia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41479-018-0054-5 |
| _version_ | 1818942537471098880 |
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| author | Katharine Yang Robert L. Kruse Weijie V. Lin Daniel M. Musher |
| author_facet | Katharine Yang Robert L. Kruse Weijie V. Lin Daniel M. Musher |
| author_sort | Katharine Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In most cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), an etiologic agent is not determined; the most common report from the microbiological evaluation of sputum cites “normal respiratory flora.” Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp., a component of this flora, is commonly viewed as a contaminant, but it may be the cause of pneumonia and the frequency with which it causes CAP may be underestimated. Case presentations This report present 3 cases of CAP in which Corynebacterium spp. was clearly the predominant isolate; identification was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Two cases were caused by C. propinquum and one by C. striatum. Two patients had a tracheostomy and one was on hemodialysis. Patients who received an appropriate antibiotic responded well. Conclusion When identified as the predominant isolate in sputum from a patient with CAP, Corynebacterium spp. should be considered as a potential cause of the infection. In cases with patients who have compromised airway clearance or who are immunocompromised, microaspiration may be responsible. While some Corynebacterium spp. are suspectible to antibiotics usually prescribed for CAP, others are susceptible only to vancomycin or aminoglycosides. Vancomycin is thus the appropriate empiric antibiotic, pending speciation and susceptibility test results. The number of reported cases with result of antibiotic susceptibility testing, however, remains limited, and further investigation is needed. Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp. represent a noteworthy clinical cause of pneumonia. Identification by Gram stain and as a predominant organism on culture demands careful consideration for management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:13:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e891aced4ca34201a126de31c4796f6c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2200-6133 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:13:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pneumonia |
| spelling | doaj.art-e891aced4ca34201a126de31c4796f6c2022-12-21T19:48:51ZengBMCPneumonia2200-61332018-10-011011810.1186/s41479-018-0054-5Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature reviewKatharine Yang0Robert L. Kruse1Weijie V. Lin2Daniel M. Musher3Baylor College of MedicineBaylor College of MedicineBaylor College of MedicineBaylor College of MedicineAbstract Background In most cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), an etiologic agent is not determined; the most common report from the microbiological evaluation of sputum cites “normal respiratory flora.” Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp., a component of this flora, is commonly viewed as a contaminant, but it may be the cause of pneumonia and the frequency with which it causes CAP may be underestimated. Case presentations This report present 3 cases of CAP in which Corynebacterium spp. was clearly the predominant isolate; identification was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Two cases were caused by C. propinquum and one by C. striatum. Two patients had a tracheostomy and one was on hemodialysis. Patients who received an appropriate antibiotic responded well. Conclusion When identified as the predominant isolate in sputum from a patient with CAP, Corynebacterium spp. should be considered as a potential cause of the infection. In cases with patients who have compromised airway clearance or who are immunocompromised, microaspiration may be responsible. While some Corynebacterium spp. are suspectible to antibiotics usually prescribed for CAP, others are susceptible only to vancomycin or aminoglycosides. Vancomycin is thus the appropriate empiric antibiotic, pending speciation and susceptibility test results. The number of reported cases with result of antibiotic susceptibility testing, however, remains limited, and further investigation is needed. Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp. represent a noteworthy clinical cause of pneumonia. Identification by Gram stain and as a predominant organism on culture demands careful consideration for management.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41479-018-0054-5PneumoniaCorynebacteriaDiphtheroidsNormal respiratory flora |
| spellingShingle | Katharine Yang Robert L. Kruse Weijie V. Lin Daniel M. Musher Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review Pneumonia Pneumonia Corynebacteria Diphtheroids Normal respiratory flora |
| title | Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review |
| title_full | Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review |
| title_fullStr | Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review |
| title_short | Corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection: a case series and literature review |
| title_sort | corynebacteria as a cause of pulmonary infection a case series and literature review |
| topic | Pneumonia Corynebacteria Diphtheroids Normal respiratory flora |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41479-018-0054-5 |
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