Dietzia strain X: a newly described Actinomycete isolated from confluent and reticulated papillomatosis.

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CRP) is a rare skin disorder. To date its aetiology remains uncertain. The possibility of an infectious aetiology has been supported by case reports of therapeutic response to antibiotic therapy. We have isolated and identified a previously unknown Dietzia strain, an Actinomycete, from skin scrapings of a 17-year-old boy with CRP. We propose that this organism may be the aetiological agent of CRP. Further investigations are necessary to determine the potential role of this Actinomycete in the pathogenesis of CRP.