Vol.69 No.1 January 2021
A case of Corynebacterium striatum bloodstream infection in a patient with severely impaired renal function
1)Department of Pharmacy, Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital, 14-11 Funairisaiwai, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
2)Department of Pharmacy, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital
3)Department of Inspection, Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital
4)Department of Nursing, Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital
5)Department of Surgery, Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital
6)Department of Infectious Disease, Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital
Abstract
Bacteria of the genus Corynebacterium, are gram-positive rods, and are a component of the resident bacteria of the skin and upper respiratory tract; therefore, a positive blood culture for corynebacteria is often interpreted as contamination. However, immunocompromised patients often develop opportunistic infections and infective endocarditis, and surgical operations and implanted medical devices are known sources of infection. This was not applicable to our case, and the patient was suspected as having Corynebacterium striatum bloodstream infection due to repeated venipuncture. Drug susceptibility testing revealed resistance to multiple drugs, and the choice of antibacterial drugs was further limited by the presence of severe renal impairment in the patient. However, with the intervention of the antimicrobial stewardship team (AST), it was possible to smoothly start the patient on treatment with the appropriate antibacterial drugs, but unfortunately, he died. The risk of bloodstream infection by normal skin flora due to repeated venipuncture must be borne in mind in patients who are immunocompromised or have severe renal function impairment, and treatment of the surrounding environment on a daily basis and infection prevention measures in medical practice are necessary.
Key word
Corynebacterium spp., bloodstream infection, teicoplanin, multidrug resistance
Received
June 24, 2020
Accepted
October 12, 2020
Jpn. J. Chemother. 69 (1): 8-12, 2021
