Human Clinical Isolates ofCorynebacterium diphtheriaeandCorynebacterium ulceransCollected in Canada from 1999 to 2003 but Not Fitting Reporting Criteria for Cases of Diphtheria

Abstract

A 5-year collection of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans human clinical isolates yielded nine isolates from blood cultures of patients with invasive infections, stressing the importance of C. diphtheriae as a serious blood-borne pathogen. Seven percent of C. diphtheriae and 100% of C. ulcerans isolates produced diphtheria toxin, demonstrating that toxigenic corynebacteria continue to circulate.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae and the Returned Tropical Traveler

“…Clinical notes were sourced via telephone contact with the referring doctor at the time of issuing the laboratory report or in a few cases retrospectively during the study period. Information obtained included basic demographic data, residence in an area historically known to be endemic for C. diphtheriae [Northern Territory and tropical Queensland (north of latitude 23.5)], 2 history of overseas travel within the previous 21 days, country traveled to, mechanism of injury, duration of symptoms, and diphtheria vaccination status. Organism Identification Nonlipophilic Gram-positive bacilli grown on blood agar from skin, soft tissue, or throat swabs were screened prior to full identification with urea, glucose, and sucrose reduction.…”

Prevalence of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies and circulation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in São Paulo, Brazil

“…Our results are coherent with the decrease in diphtheria cases in São Paulo State to rates between 0.01 to 0.05 per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 15 years (17). Other countries with low incidence of diphtheria have also low or no circulation of diphtheria bacilli (18,19).…”

First detection of Corynebacterium ulcerans producing a diphtheria-like toxin in a case of human with pulmonary infection in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, Brazil

“…Some cases have no association with a farming community or the consumption of raw milk products, which suggests other routes of infection (De Zoysa et al 2005). Patients may exhibit skin lesions that completely mimic cutaneous diphtheria or present as a tracheal-bronchial tree covered by pseudomembranes (Wagner et al 2001, Dewinter et al 2005. C. ulcerans infection may produce clinical syndromes in the lower respiratory tract (Dessau et al 1995, Nureki et al 2007), occasionally associated with signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation (Wellinghausen et al 2005).…”