A case of Corynebacterium jeikeium septicemia

Abstract

We report a case of Corynebacterium jeikeium septicemia associated with malignant lymphoma. The patient is a 58-year-old male who was diagnosed as malignant lymphoma on August 1992. May 15, 1993, he was admitted to our hospital because of oliguria, abdominal flatulence and vomiting which developed a few days before admission. Anticancer regimen were started. In the middle of July, white blood cell (WBC) count dropped to 100/mm3 and body temperature rose to 39 degrees C. He was been treated with Ceftazidime and Piperacillin. C. jeikeium was recovered from blood culture. Antibiotics were switched to minocycline and vancomycin. He died of septic shock and pneumonia. Autopsy revealed the presence of the colonies of Rods. Which were morphologically compatible with C. jeikeium were observed in lung tissue and in the small pulmonary vessels.