Diphtheroids as a cause of endocarditis in a haemodialysis patient
- Rajeev Peeyush Nagassar1,
- Alison Merle Nicholson1,
- Winston Williams2,
- Roma Jaanki Bridgelal-Nagassar3
- 1Microbiology Department, University Hospital Of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- 2Medicine Department, University Hospital Of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- 3Community Health Department, The University Of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- Correspondence to Dr Rajeev Peeyush Nagassar, rpnagassar{at}gmail.com
Summary
The authors report a fatal case of Corynebacterium sp. endocarditis. Corynebacterium spp. are non-sporulating, pleomorphic Gram-positive bacilli. In particular the authors have identified a species of Corynebacterium very closely related to C striatum. This is C simulans. The authors were able to identify the genus and species using various phenotypic tests. Highlighted here is the importance of identifying diphtheroids as a significant pathogen in the appropriate setting and the need to start antibiotic therapy if this is suspected.
Footnotes
-
Competing interests None.
-
Patient consent Not obtained.
