<i>Corynebacterium </i><i>striatum</i> as a Rare Cause of Acute Calcaneal Osteomyelitis and Bacteremia: A Case Report and Literature Review

Corynebacterium striatum is commonly regarded as part of the normal skin flora, leading many clinicians to overlook its presence in wound or blood cultures. However, the severity of infections caused by C. striatum should not be underestimated particularly in immunocompromised individuals or those with prosthetic valves. In this case report, we present a 33-year-old diabetic patient with a left plantar heel ulcer who underwent partial calcanectomy with bone biopsy and was found to have both C. striatum bacteremia and osteomyelitis. The patient received appropriate antibiotic therapy, including intravenous vancomycin or oral linezolid, during different hospital admissions. The concurrence of C. striatum bacteremia and osteomyelitis is rarely documented in current literature. This case highlights the potential pathogenesis of C. striatum, causing bacteremia and osteomyelitis, emphasizing the need for increased clinical awareness of this emerging pathogen.