Subacute Osteomyelitis of the Fibula due to Corynebacterium striatum in an Immunocompetent Child: A Case Report.

CASE: A 4-year-old boy presented with a history of swelling and pain in his ankle for 1 month. X-ray showed a periosteal reaction, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) favored radiodense signs in a T2-weighted image. An open biopsy was performed, and cultures grew Corynebacterium spp. Further research showed that the pathogen was Corynebacterium striatum subtype. Vancomycin and cefazolin were given for 6 weeks. Clinical, X-ray, and MRI signs indicated improvement, and there were no complications with 2-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: C. striatum is an unexpected pathogen for subacute osteomyelitis in children. As far as we know, this is the first case report of subacute osteomyelitis in a child with a normal immune system caused by C. striatum.