[Wound infections due to opportunistic corynebacterium species]

Abstract

Wound infections are often due to endogenous bacterial flora which penetrates into a site of injury. The establishment of the etiologic agent can be problematic, especially when opportunistic bacteria are present, suggesting contamination of clinical material. Among bacteria that can cause such diagnostic problems are opportunistic Corynebacterium spp. and coryneforms colonizing skin. The aim of the study was to analyze the 24 clinical samples collected from wounds of different location, with Gram positive rods isolated in numbers suggesting the cause of infection. Bacterial identification was performed by API Coryne and additional biochemical tests (API ZYM, API NE). It was detected that the commonest species isolated were: C. amycolatum (29.2%), C. striatum (16.7%), C. group G (16.7%) and Brevibacterium spp., C. jeikeium, C. urealyticum, C. group F1. The drug susceptibility testing was performed by E-test method. Among isolated strains, 83.3% were simultaneously resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin. In 75% cases resistance to co-trimoxazole was noted, in 71.7% resistance to chloramphenicol and in 16.7% resistance to beta-lactams were detected. In presented study the high percentage of strains resistant to macrolids and linkosamids (MLSB) was noted. All strains were susceptible to vancomycin and teicoplanin.