Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections Due toCorynebacterium amycolatum, Including Multidrug-Resistant and Bla Gene-Positive Strains

Corynebacterium amycolatum has been increasingly reported as an etiologic agent of mild to severe nosocomial infections. However, further studies concerning community-acquired and nosocomial infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. amycolatum remain necessary, especially in developing countries, including South America. In this study, C. amycolatum strains were identified as etiologic agents of 38 cases of community-acquired urinary tract infections in patients, mostly female, attended at a Brazilian ambulatorial unit: 63.16% adults (18 to ≤ 59 years old), 28.95% elderly (≥60 years old); 7.89% children (<18 years old). Most of C. amycolatum strains (n=33, 86.84%) expressed heterogenic MDR profiles. Interestingly, seven MDR C. amycolatum strains presented the bla gene encoding class A beta-lactamase. Therefore, additional studies must be conducted to define the clonal nature and dissemination of MDR C. amycolatum strains in community and hospital environment units in Brazil.