Recurrent Breast Abscesses due to Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii , a Human Pathogen Uncommon in Caucasian Women

Anne Le Fleche-Mateos (1) , Nicolas Berthet (2) , Fabienne Lomprez (1) , Yolande Arnoux (1) , Anne-Sophie Le Guern (3) , India Leclercq (1) , Ana Maria Burguière (1) , Jean-Claude Manuguerra (1)

1 CIBU - Cellule d'Intervention Biologique d'Urgence - Laboratory for Urgent Response to Biological Threats
2 Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes
3 CMIP - Centre Médical de l'Institut Pasteur

Background. Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii (Ck) was first described in 1998 from human sputum. Contrary to what is observed in ethnic groups such as Maori, Ck is rarely isolated from breast abscesses and granulomatous mastitis in Caucasian women. Case Presentation. We herein report a case of recurrent breast abscesses in a 46-year-old Caucasian woman. Conclusion. In the case of recurrent breast abscesses, even in Caucasian women, the possible involvement of Ck should be investigated. The current lack of such investigations, probably due to the difficulty to detect Ck, may cause the underestimation of such an aetiology.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Anne Le Fleche-Mateos, Nicolas Berthet, Fabienne Lomprez, Yolande Arnoux, Anne-Sophie Le Guern, et al.. Recurrent Breast Abscesses due to Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii , a Human Pathogen Uncommon in Caucasian Women. Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, 2012, 2012, pp.120968. ⟨10.1155/2012/120968⟩. ⟨pasteur-02572633⟩