Molecular characterization of Corynebacterium diphtheriae isolates, Russia, 1957-1987.
In the 1990s, the Newly Independent and Baltic States of the former Soviet Union experienced the largest diphtheria outbreak since the 1960s; it was caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains of a unique clonal group. To address its origin, we studied 47 clinical isolates from Russia and demonstrated that this clonal group was an integral part of the endemic reservoir that existed in Russia at least 5 years before the epidemic began.
Skogen
Vegard
V
Department of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway. vegards@fagmed.uit.no
Cherkasova
Valentina V
VV
Maksimova
Nina
N
Marston
Chung K
CK
Sjursen
Haakon
H
Reeves
Michael W
MW
Olsvik
Ørjan
Ø
Popovic
Tanja
T
D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history; D005838:Genotype; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D021521:Ribotyping; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology