Corynebacteria: incidence among samples submitted to a clinical laboratory for culture

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 notes were available. Eleven species of corynebacteria were identified including four biotypes of C. jeikeium; six organisms were non-typeable; C. jeikeium and C. xerosis predominated. Species identified in the literature as causing clinical infection were also isolated--though in smaller proportions--as were strains of C. jeikeium which were not multi-resistant to antibiotics. Immuno-compromised 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 reliable marker of significance, and a reliable biotyping scheme should be adopted.