Disseminated invasive Corynebacterium simulans infection complicated by high-level daptomycin resistance acquisition under treatment: a case report

Non-diphtheriae Corynebacterium species are part of the normal human skin and oral flora, and are frequently considered as contaminants in clinical samples. However, these bacteria are increasingly recognized as agents responsible for infective endocarditis1 or osteoarticular infections,2 especiallyCorynebacterium striatum. Although they are less well described, several authors have reported invasiveCorynebacterium simulans infections, such as spondylodiscitis,3 prosthetic joint infections4 or endocarditis.5 One of the main challenges to manage these types of infections is the absence of treatment guidelines for this bacterial genus. The use of daptomycin is appealing, due to its broad spectrum of activity against Gram-positive bacteria, and its low toxicity. However, it seems that several species ofCorynebacterium, includingC. simulans, are able to rapidly acquire high-level resistance to this moleculein vitro.6 Here, we report a case ofC. simulans infective endocarditis on a device, complicated by the rapid acquisition of high-level daptomycin resistance (HLDR) under treatment.
Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research