title: Corynebacterium propinquum Keratitis Identified Using MALDI-TOF.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a corneal infection due to Corynebacterium propinquum identified using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 94-year-old woman presented with suppurative keratitis. Her ocular history included Fuchs corneal dystrophy, corneal transplantation, and glaucoma. A gram-stained smear revealed coryneforms. Colonies on bacterial culture media were assayed by MALDI-TOF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Identification of C. propinquum was confirmed by RNA polymerase β subunit (rpoB) gene sequencing. The patient was treated with topical cefazolin, gentamicin, and fluorometholone, and her vision improved to 20/160 unaided when last seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MALDI-TOF can correctly identify isolates that are both uncommon and difficult to distinguish from related species. The ease and low running costs of this method will improve the laboratory diagnosis of ocular infections.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia;†Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology at Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia; and‡Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Badenoch
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: OʼDaniel
authors.forename: Rolf P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Slattery
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005469:Fluorometholone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C105078:RNA polymerase beta subunit; D002437:Cefazolin; D005469:Fluorometholone