title: Corynebacterium diphtheriae in the environment of carriers and patients.
abstract: A total of 533 throat and nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained from 328 staff who nursed cases of diphtheria and carriers of Corynebacterium diphtheriae; none yielded C. diphtheriae. Only one out of 189 environmental samples relating to 22 patients and carriers was positive. In addition, one carrier with chronic skin disease was found to have widespread colonization with C. diphtheriae. Several samples both from his hospital room and home yielded C. diphtheriae, indicating that he was a 'disperser.'
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D013548:Sweden