[8] 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 Striatum 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.

[6] For a long time, Coryneform bacteria had been described as commensals of humans - colonising the skin and mucous membranes without causing disease.

[6] Early clinical testing of hospital patients found that infection generally only occurred in immunocompromised individuals or those that had some form of prosthetic device permanently or intermittently fitted.

[2] Not long thereafter, researchers began to propose the notion that Corynebacterium striatum was the cause of disease even in patients that did not meet such criteria.

[12] API strips combine a series of small scale biochemical tests to distinguish key characteristics of a bacterium, based on metabolic activity.

[14] The MALDI-TOF system is a clinically relevant method of detection that provides a rapid (10 minute) identification of specific bacteria.

[16] Under a microscope, it appears to have a hybrid of the bacillus and cocci morphology with a bulged pole attached to a rod-like end, more commonly described as a 'club-like' structure.

[19] The organism itself possesses few virulence factors, giving it the title of an opportunistic colonizer as opposed to a true pathogen.

[citation needed] One study found that 93.7% of Corynebacterium striatum strains isolated showed resistance to at least one of the antimicrobial compounds tested.

[7] Researchers deduced that due to the long-term exposure of Corynebacterium striatum to Penicillin, resistance had been acquired by most isolates.

β-lactamase are a group of antimicrobial enzymes that work to counter the effect of β-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin and penicillin.

[7][21][22] Infection with Corynebacterium striatum was initially thought to occur through self-infection, transmitting the bacteria from a site where it persists as commensal and then allowing it to colonise as a pathogen.

A well documented outbreak - at the Hospital Joan March - Mallorca, Spain, saw 21 individuals infected with Corynebacterium striatum.

[23] The individuals all suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and also received significant tobacco exposure throughout their lives, and as such were consistently being admitted to the hospital where they were treated by care staff with shared equipment.

[23] In this instance, Corynebacterium striatum was causing infection in the respiratory tract of patients and detected in sputum samples.

[3] The patient's age and immuno-compromised state resulting from pre-existing kidney failure ultimately allowed for the establishment and dissemination of infection.

[10][28] Previously it was known that Coronybacterium were susceptible to β-lactams, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones, but recently, resistance genes to such treatments have been observed in clinical isolates.

[28] Although treatment with linezolid is not often prescribed, it can affect liver function and have negative side effects such as headaches and nausea.

Sterilising all surfaces, and prostheses, as well as constantly replacing and maintaining prosthesis, is an integral element of stopping disease establishment.