Classification of 27 Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii -Like Isolates Associated with Mastitis in China and Descriptions of C. parakroppenstedtii sp. nov. and C. pseudokroppenstedtii sp. nov

In this study, we characterized two novel species that were closely related to but hard to distinguish from C . kroppenstedtii by routine identification methods used in clinical laboratories. Since all 27 C. kroppenstedtii -like isolates were obtained from breast specimens of female patients with mastitis, they may be potential pathogens causing mastitis. We hope to perform further epidemiological investigation of these strains and explore their role in mastitis.