Infection of the skin caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans and mimicking classical cutaneous diphtheria.
Extrapharyngeal infections caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans have rarely been reported previously, and diphtheria toxin production has usually not been addressed. This case demonstrates that strains of C. ulcerans that produce diphtheria toxin can cause infections of the skin that completely mimic typical cutaneous diphtheria, thereby potentially providing a source of bacteria capable of causing life-threatening diseases in the patient's environment. Therefore, it is recommended to screen wound swabs for coryneform bacteria, identify all isolates, carefully assess possible toxin production, and send questionable strains to a specialist or a reference laboratory.
Wagner
J
J
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology of Infection, Benjamin Franklin Medical Center, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany. jwagner@ukbf.fu-berlin.de
Ignatius
R
R
Voss
S
S
Höpfner
V
V
Ehlers
S
S
Funke
G
G
Weber
U
U
Hahn
H
H
D000368:Aged; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome