Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae: An emerging pathogen in England and Wales?

Authors
Reacher, M Ramsay, M White, J De Zoysa, A Efstratiou, A Mann, G Mackay, A George, RC
Citation
M. Reacher et al., Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae: An emerging pathogen in England and Wales?, EM INFECT D, 6(6), 2000, pp. 640-645
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Clinical Immunolgy & Infectious Disease
Journal title
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
ISSN journal
10806040 → ACNP
Volume
6
Issue
6
Year of publication
2000
Pages
640 - 645
Database
ISI
SICI code
1080-6040(200011/12)6:6<640:NCDAEP>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
Confirmed isolates of nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae in England a nd Wales increased substantially from 1986 to 1994. Ribotyping of 121 isola tes confirmed in 1995 showed that 90 were of a single strain isolated exclu sively from the throat; none had previously been identified in toxigenic st rains from U.K. or non-U.K. residents. The upward trend in nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae probably represented increased ascertainment, although dissemin ation of a particular strain or clone may have been a factor.