Production of Extracellular Slime by Coryneforms Colonizing Hydrocephalus Shunts

Overview

Journal J Clin Microbiol

Specialty Microbiology

Date 1994 Jul 1

PMID 7929761

Citations 1

Authors

R Bayston

C Compton

K Richards

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Corynebacterium spp. are responsible for an important minority of cases of colonization of cerebrospinal fluid shunts used for the treatment of hydrocephalus. In common with coagulase-negative staphylococci, they present a serious therapeutic problem because they are often resistant to multiple antibiotics. We studied the morphologies of coryneforms in colonized hydrocephalus shunts removed from patients and observed extracellular slime similar in appearance to that seen in coagulase-negative staphylococci. We also studied a series of such isolates from other cases of hydrocephalus shunt colonization using an established laboratory model and consistently observed slime production in these shunts as well. We propose that this might be a further reason for failure to eradicate these organisms without shunt removal as well as a factor in their pathogenesis in device-related infections.

Citing Articles

Clinical microbiology of coryneform bacteria.

Funke G, von Graevenitz A, Clarridge 3rd J, Bernard K Clin Microbiol Rev. 1997; 10(1):125-59.

PMID: 8993861 PMC: 172946. DOI: 10.1128/CMR.10.1.125.

References

Kaplan K, WEINSTEIN L . Diphtheroid infections of man. Ann Intern Med. 1969; 70(5):919-29. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-70-5-919. View

Bayston R, Barsham S . Catheter colonisation: a laboratory model suitable for aetiological, therapeutic and preventive studies. Med Lab Sci. 1988; 45(3):235-9. View

Bayston R, Penny S . Excessive production of mucoid substance in staphylococcus SIIA: a possible factor in colonisation of Holter shunts. Dev Med Child Neurol Suppl. 1972; 27:25-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1972.tb09769.x. View

Bolton W, Sande M, Normansell D, STURGILL B, WESTERVELT Jr F . Ventriculojugular shunt nephritis with Corynebacterium bovis. Successful therapy with antibiotics. Am J Med. 1975; 59(3):417-23. DOI: 10.1016/0002-9343(75)90401-5. View

Hande K, Witebsky F, Brown M, Schulman C, Anderson Jr S, Levine A . Sepsis with a new species of Corynebacterium. Ann Intern Med. 1976; 85(4):423-6. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-85-4-423. View

Moss S, Gary N, EISINGER R . Nephritis associated with a diphtheroid-infected cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Am J Med. 1977; 63(2):318-9. DOI: 10.1016/0002-9343(77)90248-0. View

RILEY P, Hollis D, Utter G, Weaver R, Baker C . Characterization and identification of 95 diphtheroid (group JK) cultures isolated from clinical specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 1979; 9(3):418-24. PMC: 273041. DOI: 10.1128/jcm.9.3.418-424.1979. View

Stamm W, Tompkins L, Wagner K, COUNTS G, Thomas E, Meyers J . Infection due to Corynebacterium species in marrow transplant patients. Ann Intern Med. 1979; 91(2):167-73. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-91-2-167. View

ORegan S, Makker S . Shunt nephritis: demonstration of diphtheroid antigen in glomeruli. Am J Med Sci. 1979; 278(2):161-5. View

10.

Rekate H, Ruch T, NULSEN F . Diphtheroid infections of cerebrospinal fluid shunts. The changing pattern of shunt infection in Cleveland. J Neurosurg. 1980; 52(4):553-6. DOI: 10.3171/jns.1980.52.4.0553. View

11.

Gombert M, Landesman S, Corrado M, Stein S, Melvin E, Cummings M . Vancomycin and rifampin therapy for Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis associated with CSF shunts: report of three cases. J Neurosurg. 1981; 55(4):633-6. DOI: 10.3171/jns.1981.55.4.0633. View

12.

Jackman P . Classification of Corynebacterium species from axillary skin by numerical analysis of electrophoretic protein patterns. J Med Microbiol. 1982; 15(4):485-92. DOI: 10.1099/00222615-15-4-485. View

13.

Bayston R, Leung T, Wilkins B, Hodges B . Bacteriological examination of removed cerebrospinal fluid shunts. J Clin Pathol. 1983; 36(9):987-90. PMC: 498456. DOI: 10.1136/jcp.36.9.987. View

14.

Pierard D, Lauwers S, Mouton M, Sennesael J, Verbeelen D . Group JK corynebacterium peritonitis in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. J Clin Microbiol. 1983; 18(4):1011-4. PMC: 270957. DOI: 10.1128/jcm.18.4.1011-1014.1983. View

15.

Jadeja L, Fainstein V, LeBlanc B, Bodey G . Comparative in vitro activities of teichomycin and other antibiotics against JK diphtheroids. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1983; 24(2):145-6. PMC: 185127. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.24.2.145. View

16.

Athalye M, Noble W, Mallet A, Minnikin D . Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of mycolic acids as a tool in the identification of medically important coryneform bacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1984; 130(3):513-9. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-130-3-513. View

17.

Altwegg M, ZARUBA K, von Graevenitz A . Corynebacterium group JK peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Klin Wochenschr. 1984; 62(16):793-4. DOI: 10.1007/BF01721780. View

18.

Leung A, Orange G, Henderson I, Kennedy A . Diphtheroid peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Clin Nephrol. 1984; 22(4):200-5. View

19.

Peters G, Pulverer G . Pathogenesis and management of Staphylococcus epidermidis 'plastic' foreign body infections. J Antimicrob Chemother. 1984; 14 Suppl D:67-71. DOI: 10.1093/jac/14.suppl_d.67. View

20.

Traub W . Multiple drug-resistant Corynebacteriaceae: in vitro and in vivo (murine) studies. Chemotherapy. 1985; 31(5):372-82. DOI: 10.1159/000238362. View