Diversity of coryneforms found in infections following prosthetic joint insertion and open fractures.

In a 5-year period, 73 coryneform isolates from prosthetic joint and open fracture infections in 60 patients treated in a hospital specialized in orthopedic surgery were speciated. The most frequent species were Corynebacterium amycolatum, Corynebacterium striatum, Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis, and Corynebacterium jeikeium. At least 14 isolates were deemed clinically significant as sole agents of infection.