Corynebacterium Bovis: A Rare Case of Persistent Bacterial Keratitis and Corneal Perforation

We report a rare case of severe, non-contact lens-related Corynebacterium bovis corneal infection on a background of viral keratitis, resulting in corneal abscess formation with subsequent corneal perforation. An 89-year-old Caucasian lady presented with a significant epithelial defect and a dense stromal infiltrates on a background of herpes zoster keratitis, ultimately resulting in corneal perforation. Enrichment culture obtained from corneal scraping isolated the unusual organism Corynebacterium bovis. This was treated with a combination of culture-directed, targeted course of antibiotics and surgical interventions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of profuse bacterial keratitis secondary to Corynebacterium bovis infiltration, on a background of viral keratitis, resulting in corneal abscess formation and subsequent perforation. This report highlights this rare bacterium’s characteristics including its pathogenicity in causing severe corneal disease, particularly in immunosuppressed environments such as in this case, apparent antibiotic sensitivities & resistance, and potential transmission route.