Abstract
A fosfomycin disk (200 µg) placed on blood agar was used to select diphtheroids from clinical specimens. AllCorynebacterium type strains tested, representing ten different groups of diphtheroids, and 150 toxigenic strains ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae from different outbreaks, overgrew the fosfomycin disk, while other aerobic gram-positive rods had a large inhibition zone. The method increased the rate of isolation of diphtheroids in 1267 clinical specimens fivefold, from 1.4 % to 7.6 %, especially when the diphtheroids were found concomitantly with other bacteria. Overgrowth of the disk by other microorganisms occurred in 11 % of the samples tested, but such microorganisms could easily be distinguished by culture morphology or Gram stain. Fosfomycin disks provide a simple, highly sensitive but not very specific aid for isolation ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae and diphtheroids from clinical specimens.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Green, S. L., La Peter, K. S. Pseudodiphtheritic membraneous pharyngitis caused byCorynebacterium haemolyticum. Journal of the American Medical Association 1983, 245: 2330–2331.
Lipsky, B. A., Goldberger, A. C., Tompkins, L. S., Plorde, J. J. Infections caused by non-diphtheric corynebacteria. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1982, 4: 1220–1235.
Locksley, R. M. The lowly diphtheroids. Non-diphtheria corynebacterial infections in humans. Western Journal of Medicine 1982, 137: 45–52.
Finger, H., Wirsing von König, C. H., Becker-Boost, E., Drechsler, H. J. Clinical significance of resistant corynebacteria group JK. Lancet 1983, i: 538.
Riebel, W., Frantz, N., Adelstein, D., Spagnuolo, P. J. Corynebacterium group JK: cause of nosocomial devicerelated infection. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1986, 8: 42–49.
Tompkins, L. S., Juffali, F., Stamm, W. E. Use of a semiselective broth enrichment to determine the prevalence of multiply resistant JK corynebacteria on the skin. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1981, 15: 350–353.
Wichmann, S., Wirsing von König, C. H., Becker-Boost, E., Finger, H. Isolation of corynebacterium group JK from clinical specimens with a semiselective medium. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1984, 19: 204–206.
Kahan, F. M., Kahan, J. S., Cassidy, D. J., Kropp, H. The mechanism of action of phosphomycin. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1974, 235: 364–367.
Forsgren, A., Walder, M. Antimicrobial activity of fosfomycin in vitro. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 1983, 11: 467–473.
Hollis, D. G., Weaver, R. E. Gram-positive organisms: a guide to identification. Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA, 1981.
Coyle, M. B., Hollis, D. G., Growman, N. B. Corynebacterium spp. and other coryneform organisms. In: Lennette, E. H., Balows, A., Hausler, W. J., Shadomy, H. J. (ed.): Manual of clinical microbiology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, 1985, p. 195–204.
Goodfellow, R. B., Anderson, H. J. The actinomycetegenusRhodococcus: a home for the “rhodochrus” complex. Journal of General Microbiology 1977, 100: 99–122.
Wirsing von König, C. H., Finger, H. Bedeutung “apathogener” Corynebakterien als Erreger opportunistischer Infektionen. Immunität und Infektion 1986, 14: 178–183.
Krech, T., Naumann, P., Wittelsbürger, C., Reinicke, H. H., Retzgen, B., Jungnitz, B., Watermann, R. Die Diphtherie, eine Importkrankheit. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 1987, 112: 541–544.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wirsing von Koenig, C.H., Krech, T., Finger, H. et al. Use of fosfomycin disks for isolation of diphtheroids. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 7, 190–193 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963079
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963079