Corynebacterium freneyi

Corynebacterium freneyi is a species of Gram-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium in the genus Corynebacterium. It was first described in 2001 by Renaud et al. based on α-glucosidase-positive strains related to Corynebacterium xerosis.

Taxonomy

C. freneyi was initially identified from clinical isolates that exhibited α-glucosidase activity and biochemical profiles similar to C. xerosis. However, molecular analyses, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region, demonstrated that C. freneyi is a distinct species.

Clinical significance

Although initially considered a rare isolate, C. freneyi has been implicated in various clinical specimens, including those from the female genital tract. Its pathogenic potential remains under investigation, but it has been associated with bacteremia and prosthetic valve endocarditis in isolated cases.

Type strain

The type strain of C. freneyi is CCUG 45704.