1. Clinical Characteristics of Corynebacterium ulcerans Infection, Japan.
- Author
-
Akihiko Yamamoto, Toru Hifumi, Manabu Ato, Masaaki Iwaki, Mitsutoshi Senoh, Akio Hatanaka, Shinichi Nureki, Yoshihiro Noguchi, Tomoko Hirose, Yukihiro Yoshimura, Takaaki Urakawa, Shiro Hori, Hiroto Nakada, Tomomasa Terada, Tomoko Ishifuji, Hisayo Matsuyama, Takahiro Kinebuchi, Atsuhito Fukushima, Koji Wake, and Ken Otsuji
- Subjects
CORYNEBACTERIUM ,DIPHTHERIA toxin ,DIPHTHERIA vaccines ,BURULI ulcer ,DIPHTHERIA ,INFECTION - Abstract
Corynebacterium ulcerans is a closely related bacterium to the diphtheria bacterium C. diphtheriae, and some C. ulcerans strains produce toxins that are similar to diphtheria toxin. C. ulcerans is widely distributed in the environment and is considered one of the most harmful pathogens to livestock and wildlife. Infection with C. ulcerans can cause respiratory or nonrespiratory symptoms in patients. Recently, the microorganism has been increasingly recognized as an emerging zoonotic agent of diphtheria-like illness in Japan. To clarify the overall clinical characteristics, treatment-related factors, and outcomes of C. ulcerans infection, we analyzed 34 cases of C. ulcerans that occurred in Japan during 2001-2020. During 2010-2020, the incidence rate of C. ulcerans infection increased markedly, and the overall mortality rate was 5.9%. It is recommended that adults be vaccinated with diphtheria toxoid vaccine to prevent the spread of this infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF