Successful Treatment of Corynebacterium striatum Endocarditis with Daptomycin plus Rifampin

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of Corynebacterium striatum endocarditis that was treated successfully with daptomycin plus rifampin following an unsuccessful attempt at vancomycin desensitization and failure of linezolid therapy. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old woman with hemodialysis-dependent chronic renal failure was admitted for a graft-related infection. She presented with C. striatum endocarditis that was treated with daptomycin plus rifampin due to a history of allergies to vancomycin and beta-lactam antibiotics and failure of linezolid therapy. The patient received daptomycin and rifampin for a total of 6 weeks. Three months after completion of treatment, no recurrence of endocarditis was evident. DISCUSSION: Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic, with rapid bactericidal activity. It has demonstrated efficacy in animal models of staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal endocarditis. Case reports of its activity in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis have also been documented. CONCLUSIONS: Daptomycin, which has shown in vitro activity against C. striatum, may be a viable treatment option for patients with C. striatum endocarditis who are either allergic or refractory to traditional antibiotics.