CUTANEOUS AND PHARYNGEAL DIPHTHERIA IMPORTED FROM THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

We report the case of a 32-year-old woman who presented upon returning from India with cutaneous ulcers on the feet and pharyngitis. Microbi ological testing showed the causative organism to be a toxigenic strai n of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. She was treated successfully with pe nicillin and diphtheria antitoxin. This case emphasises the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for such rare but significan t infectious diseases.