Journal List > Lab Med Online > v.9(3) > 1131949

Mun, Lee, Kim, Jeon, Park, and Suh: The First Case of Otitis in Korea Caused by Brevibacterium otitidis

Abstract

Brevibacterium spp. are gram-positive rods that are considered to be strictly nonpathogenic, and a very few cases of their infection in humans have been reported. In this study, we report a case of otitis caused by Brevibacterium otitidis. A 53-year-old woman, who visited the hospital, complained of symptoms, such as otorrhea from both ears, ear fullness, tinnitus, and hearing impairment, for several months. Ear discharge was cultured on blood agar for pathogen identification. Bacteria from the isolated colony were initially identified as Actinomyces odontolyticus by VITEK 2 (bioMerieux, France), whereas VITEK® MS (bioMerieux, France) identified them as Brevibacterium luteolum. Subsequently, bacteria from the isolated colony were confirmed as B. otitidis by 16S rRNA sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing confirmed their sensitivity to vancomycin and linezolid and resistance to clindamycin and penicillin. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of otitis caused by B. otitidis in Korea.

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Fig. 1.
Images of microscopic findings and colony morphology of Brevibacterium otitidis. (A) Gram staining of ear discharge observed under 1,000× shows many neutrophils and gram-positive v-shaped or rod shaped diplobacilli. (B) Growth of yellowish, smooth, circular colonies on blood agar plate.
lmo-9-181f1.tif
Table 1.
Disc diffusion test of Brevibacterium otitidis
Antibiotic Inhibition zone diameter (mm) Breakpoint (mm) Result
CC 10 20 Resistant
VA 44 17 Susceptible
E 28 NA NA
IPM 40 NA NA
LZD 26 25 Susceptible
P 16 29 Resistant

From Corynebacterium spp. disc diffusion breakpoint of the EUCAST. Breakpoint tables for interpretation of MICs and zone diameters. Version 6.0, 2016

No breakpoint exists for erythromycin and imipenem.

Abbreviations: CC, clindamycin; VA, vancomycin; E, erythromycin; IPM, imipenem; LZD, linezolid; P, penicillin; EUAST, European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing.

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