final program.qxd - Parallels Plesk Panel

PP 6.16
Isolation of Corynebacterium spp. organisms in different clinical settings of a large
teaching Hospital. Focus on intensive care units
Roberto Manfredi, Anna Nanetti, Samanta Morelli, Roberta Valentini, Leonardo Calza
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and
Division of Microbiology, University of Bologna, Italy
Introduction
Corynebacterium spp. organisms are commonly isolated bacteria, but their pathogenic
role is still poorly known.
Methods
A bacteriological and clinical survey was conducted on all inpatients of our teaching
Hospital, in order to identify all Corynebacterium isolates, and to assess them according
to involved species, clinical materials, and involved hospital settings, with special attention
paid to intensive care units (ICU).
Results
Of 161 Corynebacterium spp. isolates, 17 C. glucuronolyticum strains came from semen
assessed during FIVET screening procedures, and were not further evaluated.
Corynebacterium spp. represented the most frequent isolate (78 episodes, with 4-11
repeated isolations in two patients), followed by C. striatum (33 strains), C. jeikeium (15),
C. urealyticum (6), C. propinquum (5), C. afermentans (3), C. macgihley, and
Coryinebacterium group G-1 (two cases each). The most frequent clinical specimens were
represented by blood cultures (41 cases ), blood/central vascular catheters (14), bronchial
aspirates/bronchoalveolar lavage (25), ascites or pleural effusion (14), surgical wounds or
ulcers (13), urine (12), and drainages (11). Interestingly, while all C. jeikeium and
C. propinquum isolates came from blood and catheters, Corynebacterium spp. prevailed
(representing over 80% of cases) in blood and lower respiratory tract cultures, and
C. striatum predominated in wound infections, ulcers, and drainages (over 60%). When
making a five-year survey of Corynebacterium strains isolated from all ICU since year
2001, 33 disease episodes were confirmed in 25 patients (16 males and 9 females, aged
27-90 years). Corynebacterium spp accounted of 15 isolates, followed by C. striatum (9),
C. jeikeium (5), Corynebacterium group G-1 (3),and C. macginley (1),while among clinical
specimens bronchial aspirate/BAL prevailed (16 cases),over blood (8), peritoneal
fluid/abdominal drainage (6),and surgical wounds (3).
POSTERS
Conclusions
Corynebacterium spp. are considered with increasing interest in the last years, but their
clinical role remains unclear. Based on their unpredictable antimicrobial susceptibility
profile, further epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic analyses are therefore
necessary.
“ Focusing FIRST on PEOPLE “ 233 w w w . i s h e i d . c o m