Adult cutaneous diphtheria by non-toxicogenic strain: Case report and review of literature

  • 1Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: khyati0016@gmail.com.
  • 2Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: dhawanb@gmail.com.
  • 3Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: r_vg@yahoo.co.uk.
  • 4Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: nishant.compbio@gmail.com.
  • 5Department of Dermatology and Venereology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: drntbhari@gmail.com.
  • 6Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: dr.jayabiswas0202@gmail.com.
  • 7Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: pranavrai.99@gmail.com.
  • 8Department of Dermatology and Venereology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: ritika1936@gmail.com.
  • 9Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address: tezpur.bimal@gmail.com.

Abstract

We report an unusual case of recurrently infected post-folliculitis keloid. The diagnosis of cutaneous diphtheria was made by isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae cultured from pus collected from the skin lesion. The strain was non-toxigenic on multiplex real-time PCR assay. A prior pus sample from the lesion had grown Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The patient was treated with oral erythromycin for 14-days. Chemoprophylaxis was advised to the close contacts. The present case emphasizes the importance of investigation for unusual etiologies in patients with non-responding ulcerative cutaneous lesions. Early diagnosis of cutaneous diphtheria is required for appropriate treatment and effective control measures.

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