title: A forgotten disease in a returning traveler from Thailand.
abstract: Cutaneous diphteria is a forgotten disease. We must consider this in our differential diagnosis, not only when a patient presents with a cutaneous ulcer and has travelled to tropical areas, but also in patients who subsist in low socio-economic conditions, especially in homeless people and people with a history of alcohol or drug abuse. Vigilance for this forgotten disease is warranted because most physicians in developed countries have never seen one case. In an era of increasing globalisation, we might see more cases in the future. We report a case of a foot infection with a non toxigenic C. diptheriae biovar gravis in a 16 year old girl, who has travelled to Thailand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium. melissa.depypere@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Depypere
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verhaegen
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Derdelinckx
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meersseman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001530:Belgium; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002981:Clindamycin