Corynebacterium striatum-Induced Native Valve Infective Endocarditis in an Immunocompetent Patient

Corynebacterium striatum is often considered a contaminant in blood cultures due to often being found colonizing skin and mucous membranes. This case displays C. striatum infective endocarditis (IE) identified in an immunocompetent patient on a native valve. Despite treatment with vancomycin, the case was complicated by embolic infarcts to the spleen and left cerebellum along with the development of a perivalvular abscess. This case highlights risk factors for C. striatum infection and exemplifies the importance of recognizing this bacteria species as a possible pathogen causing complicated IE.