ASYMPTOMATIC BACTERIURIA, BACTEREMIA, AND OTHER INFECTIONS DUE TO NSU CORYNEBACTERIA

Abstract

Using the new medium, nonspecific urethritis (NSU) chocolate agar, NSU corynebacteria were isolated from patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria, bacteremia, cervicitis, conjunctivitis and pericarditis, and also with bone marrow, wound and cul-de-sac infections. The NSU corynebacteria were considered the etiologic agents. On the basis of biochemical reactions, antibiotic sensitivity, and complement fixation tests some isolates were the same microorganisms. Both patients with conjunctivitis were infected with the same NSU corynebacteria. A 2nd isolate was cultured from patients with osteomyelitis and cervicitis, while a 3rd was recovered from an infected leg wound and from a patient with pericarditis. Seven of the isolates, when injected into rabbits hypersensitive to 4 NSU corynebacteria isolated from the inflamed epididymis of patients with epididymitis, elicited delayed hypersensitivity reactions, while indicated that they also were related antigenically. NSU and epididymitis may represent an infection with NSU corynebacteria, or may be an extension of bacteriuria due to these microorganisms, with a delayed hypersensitivity reaction as a possible additional complication. Colony counts on NSU chocolate agar of the bacteria in urines from male and female patients were higher than those obtained on conventional agar media. NSU chocolate agar is superior to other agar media for the isolation of pathogenic and saprophytic bacteria from the urogenital tract and also from other infection foci. It is easily prepared from commercial blood agar plates and its use should be considered when a selective medium is not required.