Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. A new cause of infectious and eosinophilic pneumonia

A 28 year old veterinary medical student experienced spiking fever, cough, peripheral blood eosinophilia and an eosinophilic pulmonary infiltrate. Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was isolated from a transtracheal aspirate and bronchoscopy washings. C. pseudotuberculosis, a pathogen responsible for lymphadenitis in livestock, has never been reported to cause pneumonia in man. In the four cases of C. pseudotuberculosis previously reported, lymphadenitis was the chief clinical presentation. In our patient specific antibodies against the isolated C. pseudotuberculosis developed but not against the other corynebacteria. With erythromycin therapy, the peripheral blood eosinophilia and IgE anti-C. pseudotuberculosis titer decreased whereas the IgG titer continued to increase.