Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Aug;29(8):1505-15. doi: 10.3201/eid2908.220058.
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.
溃疡棒状杆菌是与白喉棒状杆菌密切相关的细菌，一些溃疡棒状杆菌菌株产生的毒素与白喉毒素相似。溃疡棒状杆菌广泛分布于环境中，被认为是对家畜和野生动物最具危害性的病原体之一。溃疡棒状杆菌感染可导致患者出现呼吸道或非呼吸道症状。最近，该微生物已被越来越多地认为是日本类似白喉样疾病的新兴人畜共患病原体。为了阐明溃疡棒状杆菌感染的总体临床特征、与治疗相关的因素和结果，我们分析了 2001 年至 2020 年期间在日本发生的 34 例溃疡棒状杆菌感染病例。2010 年至 2020 年间，溃疡棒状杆菌感染的发病率显著增加，总死亡率为 5.9%。建议成年人接种白喉类毒素疫苗，以防止这种感染的传播。
