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Infective Endocarditis Due to Corynebacterium Species : Clinical Features and Antibiotic Resistance

Bläckberg, Anna LU ; Falk, Linn ; Oldberg, Karl LU orcid ; Olaison, Lars and Rasmussen, Magnus LU (2021) In Open Forum Infectious Diseases 8(3).
Abstract

Background: Corynebacterium species are often dismissed as contaminants in blood cultures, but they can also cause infective endocarditis (IE), which is a severe condition. Antibiotic resistance of corynebacteria is increasing making treatment challenging. Reports on IE caused by Corynebacterium species are scarce and more knowledge is needed. Methods: Cases of IE caused by Corynebacterium species were identified through the Swedish Registry of Infective Endocarditis. Isolates were collected for species redetermination by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and for antibiotic susceptibility testing using Etests. Results: Thirty episodes of IE due to Corynebacterium species were identified between 2008 and 2017.... (More)

Background: Corynebacterium species are often dismissed as contaminants in blood cultures, but they can also cause infective endocarditis (IE), which is a severe condition. Antibiotic resistance of corynebacteria is increasing making treatment challenging. Reports on IE caused by Corynebacterium species are scarce and more knowledge is needed. Methods: Cases of IE caused by Corynebacterium species were identified through the Swedish Registry of Infective Endocarditis. Isolates were collected for species redetermination by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and for antibiotic susceptibility testing using Etests. Results: Thirty episodes of IE due to Corynebacterium species were identified between 2008 and 2017. The median age of patients was 71 years (interquartile range, 60-76) and 77% were male. Corynebacterium striatum (n = 11) was the most common IE causing pathogen followed by Corynebacterium jeikeium (n = 5). Surgery was performed in 50% and in-hospital mortality rate was 13%. Patients with IE caused by Corynebacterium species were significantly more likely to have prosthetic valve endocarditis (70%), compared with patients with IE due to Staphylococcus aureus or non-beta-hemolytic streptococci (14% and 26%, respectively) (P <. 0001). Vancomycin was active towards all Corynebacterium isolates, whereas resistance towards penicillin G was common. Conclusions: Corynebacterium species cause IE, where prosthetic valves are mainly affected and surgery is often performed. Corynebacterium striatum is an important causative agent of IE within the genus. Antibiotic resistance of corynebacteria is relatively common but resistance towards vancomycin could not be detected in vitro.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
antibiotic, Corynebacterium, infective endocarditis
in
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
volume
8
issue
3
article number
ofab055
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:33738317
  • scopus:85105183187
ISSN
2328-8957
DOI
10.1093/ofid/ofab055
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e3c92142-4924-4bd9-a5ae-077c657ef33a
date added to LUP
2021-05-31 10:18:02
date last changed
2024-06-16 03:03:54
@article{e3c92142-4924-4bd9-a5ae-077c657ef33a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Corynebacterium species are often dismissed as contaminants in blood cultures, but they can also cause infective endocarditis (IE), which is a severe condition. Antibiotic resistance of corynebacteria is increasing making treatment challenging. Reports on IE caused by Corynebacterium species are scarce and more knowledge is needed. Methods: Cases of IE caused by Corynebacterium species were identified through the Swedish Registry of Infective Endocarditis. Isolates were collected for species redetermination by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and for antibiotic susceptibility testing using Etests. Results: Thirty episodes of IE due to Corynebacterium species were identified between 2008 and 2017. The median age of patients was 71 years (interquartile range, 60-76) and 77% were male. Corynebacterium striatum (n = 11) was the most common IE causing pathogen followed by Corynebacterium jeikeium (n = 5). Surgery was performed in 50% and in-hospital mortality rate was 13%. Patients with IE caused by Corynebacterium species were significantly more likely to have prosthetic valve endocarditis (70%), compared with patients with IE due to Staphylococcus aureus or non-beta-hemolytic streptococci (14% and 26%, respectively) (P &lt;. 0001). Vancomycin was active towards all Corynebacterium isolates, whereas resistance towards penicillin G was common. Conclusions: Corynebacterium species cause IE, where prosthetic valves are mainly affected and surgery is often performed. Corynebacterium striatum is an important causative agent of IE within the genus. Antibiotic resistance of corynebacteria is relatively common but resistance towards vancomycin could not be detected in vitro. </p>}},
  author       = {{Bläckberg, Anna and Falk, Linn and Oldberg, Karl and Olaison, Lars and Rasmussen, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{2328-8957}},
  keywords     = {{antibiotic; Corynebacterium; infective endocarditis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Open Forum Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Infective Endocarditis Due to Corynebacterium Species : Clinical Features and Antibiotic Resistance}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofab055}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/ofid/ofab055}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}