Possible human-to-human transmission of toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans

R Konrad; S Hörmansdorfer; A Sing

doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2015.05.021

Possible human-to-human transmission of toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2015 Aug;21(8):768-71. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.05.021. Epub 2015 May 28.

Authors

R Konrad¹, S Hörmansdorfer², A Sing³

Affiliations

¹ Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Germany; Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
² Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
³ Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Germany; Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Oberschleißheim, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.sing@lgl.bayern.de.

PMID: 26027917
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.05.021

Abstract

Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans is an emerging cause of diphtheria. In contrast to the classical diphtheria pathogen C. diphtheriae, human-to-human transmission of this primarily zoonotic pathogen has not been clearly documented. Here we report on a two-person cluster suggesting an initial zoonotic and a subsequent human-to-human transmission event.

Keywords: Corynebacterium ulcerans; diphtheria; person-to-person transmission; zoonosis; zoonotic transmission.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Aged, 80 and over
Animals
Corynebacterium / isolation & purification*
Diphtheria / transmission*
Diphtheria Toxin / analysis*
Disease Transmission, Infectious*
Female
Humans
Male

Substances

Diphtheria Toxin