Abstract
In 2010, two independent cases of cutaneous diphtheria caused by toxigenic C. ulcerans were identified in Germany. Both patients had intense occupational contact with pigs. Diagnostic work-up comprising biochemical differentiation, rpoB sequencing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analysis, real-time tox PCR and Elek test as well as public health measures including an intensified source tracing involving 83 asymptomatic pigs of an associated pig farm are presented.
Keywords:
Corynebacterium ulcerans; Diphtheria; outbreak investigation; zoonosis.
© 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication types
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Case Reports
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Bacterial Proteins / genetics
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Carrier State / epidemiology
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Carrier State / microbiology
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Carrier State / veterinary
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Corynebacterium / isolation & purification*
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Diphtheria / diagnosis*
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Diphtheria / drug therapy
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Diphtheria / microbiology
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Erythromycin / therapeutic use
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Female
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Germany
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Humans
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Occupational Exposure*
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Prevalence
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Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Skin / microbiology
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Skin Diseases, Bacterial / diagnosis*
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Skin Diseases, Bacterial / drug therapy
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Skin Diseases, Bacterial / microbiology
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Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
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Sus scrofa
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Swine
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Swine Diseases / epidemiology
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Swine Diseases / microbiology*
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Swine Diseases / transmission
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Bacterial Proteins
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Erythromycin