Re-emergence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

C Scheifer; C Rolland-Debord; E Badell; F Reibel; A Aubry; A Perignon; O Patey; S Brisse; E Caumes

doi:10.1016/j.medmal.2018.12.001

Re-emergence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Med Mal Infect. 2019 Sep;49(6):463-466. doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2018.12.001. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Authors

C Scheifer¹, C Rolland-Debord², E Badell³, F Reibel⁴, A Aubry⁵, A Perignon⁶, O Patey⁷, S Brisse⁸, E Caumes⁹

Affiliations

¹ Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France; Sorbonne universités, UPMC université Paris 06, 75252 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Centre national de référence des Corynébactéries du complexe diphtheriae, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Hôpital Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, 94190 Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Centre national de référence des Corynébactéries du complexe diphtheriae, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles-Foix, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 73013 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 30583866
DOI: 10.1016/j.medmal.2018.12.001

Abstract

Background: Diphtheria is re-emerging in Europe. A total of 36 cases were reported in Europe in 2015 versus 53 cases between 2000 and 2009.

Patients: We report two cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection in a French hospital in 2016: a cutaneous infection with negative toxin testing in a French traveller, and a respiratory diphtheria carriage with positive toxin testing in an Afghan refugee diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. The vaccination history of the Afghan patient could not be retrieved.

Keywords: Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Migrants; Transients and migrants; Travellers; Voyageurs.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Afghanistan
Communicable Diseases, Emerging / diagnosis*
Corynebacterium diphtheriae / isolation & purification*
Diphtheria / diagnosis*
Emigrants and Immigrants
France
Humans
Madagascar
Male
Refugees
Skin Ulcer / diagnosis
Skin Ulcer / microbiology
Travel-Related Illness
Young Adult