title: A case of fatal sepsis due to multidrug-resistantCorynebacterium striatum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although non-diphtheria corynebacteria have traditionally been regarded as avirulent members of human bacterial flora, their pathogenic potential is increasingly recognized in our time. Reasons for this include the prolonged survival of severely ill and immunocompromised patients, the development of more invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and the sub-optimal use of antibiotics that disrupts normal microbial balance and favors superinfections.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a rare case of sepsis due to multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium striatum in a 76-year-old host. The patient suffered from myelodysplastic syndrome and was on corticosteroid treatment due to atopic dermatitis. He had, also, a recent hospital admission and received a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics due to lower respiratory infection. The patient responded neither to empiric nor to targeted treatment and finally succumbed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diphtheroids are emerging pathogens capable of causing severe opportunistic infections. Their multidrugresistant nature renders treatment problematic and poses a threat to the currently established antimicrobial stewardship programs. Hippokratia 2016, 20(1): 67-69.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chatzopoulou
authors.affiliation: Second Internal Medicine Department, General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koufakis
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Voulgaridi
authors.affiliation: Second Internal Medicine Department, General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gabranis
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsiakalou
keywords: Corynebacterium striatum; multidrug-resistant; opportunistic infection; sepsis