title: Prevalence of Corynebacterium ulcerans in dogs in Osaka, Japan.
abstract: Diphtheria-like human illness caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans is an emerging threat in developed countries, with incidence sometimes higher than that of diphtheria caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Companion animals are considered a potential source of human infections. In order to determine the prevalence of C. ulcerans among dogs, we performed a screening for the bacterium in 583 dogs in the custody of the Osaka Prefectural government. Forty-four dogs (7.5 %) were positive for the bacterium, although they did not show any clinical symptoms. All bacterial isolates showed resistance or decreased sensitivity to clindamycin, and some showed decreased sensitivity to levofloxacin. Comparative analysis of isolates using PFGE, toxin gene typing and antibiotic sensitivities suggests that transmission between asymptomatic dogs might have occurred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katsukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komiya
authors.affiliation: Osaka Prefectural Dog Management Office, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.affiliation: Osaka Prefectural Dog Management Office, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Osaka Prefectural Dog Management Office, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.affiliation: Animal Protection and Livestock Division, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagahama
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058889:Molecular Typing; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D002981:Clindamycin; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin