Corynebacterium striatum  Corynebacterium striatum is a prokaryotic bacterium that is a member of the Corynebacterium genus. It is classified as non-diphtheritic. The bacterium is a gram-positive prokaryote that assumes a 'club-like' morphology, more formally known as a corynebacteria structure. It is non-lipophilic and undergoes aerobic respiration and is also a facultative anaerobe it is catalase negative and oxidase positive glucose and sucrose fermenter. It is generally found as a ubiquitous microorganism, and, as a commensal of humans, colonising the nasopharynx. It has recently been recognised as an emerging pathogen although the genus of "Corynebacterium" is not usually considered to be pathogenic. Particularly in the context of human disease, "Corynebacterium striatum" is generally considered an opportunistic pathogenic, particularly in a nosocomial setting. It has been recorded to infect the skin, upper and lower respiratory tract and even disseminate, resulting in septicaemia. Recent interest has been sparked in the microorganism as it is known to be resistant to and gaining resistances to many antibiotics. "Corynebacterium striatum" is a member of the genus "Corynebacterium". Initially the species was described in 1901. Scientific papers dating back until approximately 1980 recount cases of commensal "Corynebacterium striatum" contaminating samples from sites of infections. A paper published in 1993 found that isolates of described Corynebacterium Stratum stored by the American Type Culture Collection and the National Collection of Type Cultures were in fact not that of "Corynebacterium striatum", although the recorded sequences corresponded with other known isolates of the species. From this it was determined that at the time of isolation for storage, the incorrect bacteria was stored. Up until 1993 there had only been three documented cases of respiratory infections caused by the species. After this it was formally defined again in 1995. Coryneform bacteria had for a long time been described as commensals of humans, colonising the skin and mucous membranes without causing disease. More recently "Corynebacterium striatum" was found to in fact be the cause of infection and disease, given the opportunity. Early clinical testing of hospital patients found that infection generally only occurred in immunocompromised individuals or those that had some for of prosthetic device permanently or intermittently fitted.