Corynebacterium striatum meningitis combined with suspected brain and lung abscesses: a case report and review

Background: Intracranial infections with Corynebacterium striatum (C. striatum) have been described sporadically in the literature over the last two decades. However, C. striatum meningitis combined with multiple abscesses has not been published before.

Case presentation: In this report, we describe the clinical and imaging findings in a 54-year-old woman with meningitis caused by C. striatum and combined with suspected brain and lung abscesses. This patient who underwent multiple fractures and a recent cut presented with headache and paraphasia. C. striatum was isolated in cerebrospinal fluid and supposedly transmitted from the skin purulent wound through blood. The patient was treated with intravenous vancomycin and had a transient improvement, but died finally. Multiple abscesses, especially in the brain, could be a reason to explain her conditions were deteriorating rapidly.

Conclusions: Note that C. striatum can cause life-threatening infections. Early identification and diagnosis, early administration of antibiotics to which the bacterium is susceptible, and treatment of complications will be beneficial in patients with C. striatum-related infection.

Keywords: Abscess; Case report; Corynebacterium striatum; Meningitis.