Relapsing and refractory peritoneal dialysis peritonitis caused by Corynebacterium amycolatum

Peritonitis is an important complication and cause of morbidity in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Corynebacterium species, often considered skin and mucosal contaminants, are a rare cause of PD-associated peritonitis and have been acknowledged in published guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PD peritonitis only over the last decade.

We present two children with difficult-to-treat episodes of PD peritonitis due to Corynebacterium amycolatum. Episodes were associated with fever, abdominal pain and cloudy dialysate, high dialysate polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts, and elevated serum C-reactive protein and procalcitonin concentrations. Symptoms persisted beyond 5 days in 4 of 5 peritonitis episodes, and peritonitis relapsed despite in vitro sensitivity of the bacterial isolates to guideline-recommended antibiotics. C. amycolatum was cultured from the PD catheter tip despite 4 weeks of intraperitoneal glycopeptide therapy and clinical peritonitis resolution suggestive of efficient biofilm formation. Our systematic literature search identified three previous (adult) case descriptions of C. amycolatum peritonitis, all with repeat episodes by the same organism. The incidence of C. amycolatum as a cause of PD peritonitis has not yet been established but is likely underreported due to challenges in species differentiation.

C. amycolatum is a rarely identified cause of refractory and/or relapsing PD peritonitis. Species differentiation of non-diphtheriae Corynebacterium isolates is critical, and prolonged antibiotic treatment, preferably with a glycopeptide antibiotic, is recommended, with a low threshold for PD catheter change or removal in case of repeat peritonitis.