Corynebacterium

• Genus of Gram-positive club-shaped bacilli that form characteristic "Chinese letter" patterns on stain

Species	Diseases	Resistance
Corynebacterium Species
Corynebacterium afermentans subsp. afermentans	CLABSI
Corynebacterium amycolatum	healthcare-associated pneumonia, CLABSI, native valve endocarditis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infection, surgical site infection
Corynebacterium confusum	skin and soft tissue infection
Corynebacterium diphtheriae	diphtheria, myocarditis
Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum	genitourinary infection, chronic prostatitis
Corynebacterium jeikeium	ventricular shunt infection, nosocomial meningitis, CLABSI, native valve endocarditis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, surgical site infection, prosthetic joint infection, CAPD peritonitis	mostly resistant to beta lactams, macrolides, and aminoglycosides
Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii	breast abscess
Corynebacterium macginleyi	conjunctivitis, keratitis, CLABSI
Corynebacterium minutissimum	skin and soft tissue infection, breast abscess, CLABSI, surgical site infection
Corynebacterium propinquum	conjunctivitis, keratitis, native valve endocarditis
Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum	conjunctivitis, keratitis, pharyngitis, native valve endocarditis, healthcare-associated pneumonia
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis	lymphadenitis, skin and soft tissue infection	may exhibit erm-mediated resistance to clindamycin and macrolides
Corynebacterium riegelii	genitourinary infection
Corynebacterium striatum	native joint infection, healthcare-associated pneumonia, CLABSI, native valve endocarditis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, surgical site infection	may exhibit erm-mediated resistance to clindamycin and macrolides
Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum	breast abscess
Corynebacterium ulcerans	diphtheria, pharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infection
Corynebacterium urealyticum	healthcare-associated pneumonia, CLABSI, native valve endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infection, surgical site infection, UTI, CAPD peritonitis	mostly resistant to beta lactams, macrolides, and aminoglycosides
Other Coryneform Bacteria
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum	pharyngitis, peritonsillar abscess, odontogenic infection, skin and soft tissue infection, native valve endocarditis
Brevibacterium	nosocomial meningitis, CAPD peritonitis
Brevibacterium casei	CLABSI, prosthetic valve endocarditis
Cellulosimicrobium
Dermabacter	CAPD peritonitis
Microbacterium	CLABSI
Oerskovia	CLABSI
Rothia dentocariosa	odontogenic infection, native valve endocarditis, CAPD peritonitis
Trueperella bernardiae	CLABSI
Trueperella pyogenes	skin and soft tissue infection, CLABSI

Management

• The only reliable treatment options are vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid1
  • Tetracycline and TMP-SMX are sometimes options depending on the species and isolate
  • See also 1 for a recent summary of susceptibilities in Ontario

Susceptibilities (in %) in Ontario 2011-20162

Species	PEN	ERY	CLI	CIP	MXF	TET	VAN	SXT	RIF	Q-D	LZD	GEN	DAP
Corynebacterium spp.	15	15	9	27	28	64	100	38	91	93	100	93	98
Corynebacterium striatum	0.1	15	5	5	5	35	100	12	86	99	100	93	98
Corynebacterium amycolatum	11	16	21	27	27	86	100	67	98	100	100	93	100
Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum/Corynebacterium propinquum	96	21	21	79	79	99	100	88	100	100	100	100	100
Corynebacterium afermentans subsp. afermentans	1	0	0	30	32	88	100	55	94	52	100	99	98
Corynebacterium jeikeium	0	12	3	36	36	92	100	18	97	90	100	82	90
Corynebacterium minutissimum	4	20	1	55	62	92	100	62	96	93	99	97	92
Corynebacterium coyleae	2	4	4	28	29	93	100	48	91	43	100	100	93
Corynebacterium urealyticum	4	2	4	4	4	92	100	2	92	100	100	56	100
Corynebacterium aurimucosum	6	12	0	43	43	90	100	63	100	92	100	100	98