A papular eruption secondary to infection with Corynebacterium jeikeium, with histopathological features mimicking botryomycosis.

Abstract

Corynebacterium jeikeium has been increasingly recognized as a pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised patients and in those with a prosthetic heart valve. Although cutaneous manifestations of C. jeikeium infection have been described, we have only found two case reports that give an histological description of the lesions. We present three patients with haematological malignancies who developed infection with C. jeikeium and a papular eruption. Skin biopsy disclosed similar histological features in all three patients, namely numerous Gram-positive bacteria enclosed in an eosinophilic matrix, with a minimal inflammatory response. C. jeikeium was cultured from cutaneous lesions in two cases.