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Volume 31, Number 3—March 2025
Synopsis

Corynebacterium diphtheriae Infections, South Africa, 2015–2023

Mignon du PlessisComments to Author , Rito Mikhari, Linda de Gouveia, Noluthando Duma, Tamsin Lovelock, Charlene Lawrence, Prasha Mahabeer, Yesholata Mahabeer, Nevashan Govender, Susan Nzenze, Jonathan Featherston, Mishalan Moodley, Jocelyn Moyes, Sibongile Walaza, Cheryl Cohen, and Anne von Gottberg
Author affiliation: National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa (M. du Plessis, R. Mikhari, L. de Gouveia, N. Duma, N. Govender, S. Nzenze, J. Featherston, M. Moodley, J. Moyes, S. Walaza, C. Cohen, A. von Gottberg); University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (M. du Plessis, R. Mikhari, S. Walaza, C. Cohen, A. von Gottberg); Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa (T. Lovelock); Western Cape Department of Health, Cape Town (C. Lawrence); National Health Laboratory Service, Durban, South Africa (P. Mahabeer, Y. Mahabeer); University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban (P. Mahabeer, Y. Mahabeer); University of Cape Town, Cape Town (A. von Gottberg)

Main Article

Table 1

Characteristics of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection cases, South Africa, 2015–2023*

Characteristics Respiratory diphtheria Endocarditis Cutaneous diphtheria Nonspecific respiratory illness Asymptomatic
No. patients/group 26 14 22 5 16
Toxin positive
 26 (100)
 0
 2 (9)
 0
 14 (88)
Year of bacteria isolation
2015 11 (42) 2 (14) 1 (5) 1 (20) 7 (44)
2016 2 (8) 0 0 0 0
2017 4 (15) 2 (14) 1 (5) 2 (40) 0
2018 2 (8) 0 4 (18) 0 1 (6)
2019 0 0 2 (9) 1 (20) 0
2020 1 (4) 0 3 (14) 0 0
2021 0 6 (43) 3 (14) 1 (20) 1 (6)
2022 0 1 (7) 4 (18) 0 0
2023
 6 (23)
 3 (21)
 4 (18)
 0
 7 (44)
Province
Gauteng 0 0 3 (14) 1 (20) 0
Western Cape 9 (35) 14 (100) 2 (9) 2 (40) 8 (50)
Eastern Cape 0 0 12 (55) 1 (20) 0
KwaZulu-Natal 17 (65) 0 4 (18) 1 (20) 8 (50)
North West
 0
 0
 1 (5)
 0
 0
Age category, y
0–4 3 (12) 0 0 2 (40) 1 (6)
5–9 4 (15) 4 (29) 0 0 4 (25)
10–19 10 (38 5 (36) 2 (9) 1 (20) 6 (38)
20–45 9 (35) 5 (36) 12 (55) 2 (40) 5 (31)
>45
 0
 0
 8 (36)
 0
 0
Patient sex
M 16 (62) 9 (64) 14 (64) 2 (50)† 9 (56)
F
 10 (38)
 5 (36)
 8 (36)
 2 (50)
 7 (44)
Outcome
Died 8 (31) 6 (43) 0 0 0
Survived 15 (58) 4 (29) 9 (41) 1 (20) 16 (100)
Unknown
 3 (12)
 4 (29)
 13 (59)
 4 (80)
 0
Hospitalization
Inpatient 23 (88) 14 (100) 11 (50) 2 (40) 0
Outpatient 2 (8) 0 10 (45) 2 (40) 16 (100)
Unknown
 1 (4)
 0
 1 (5)
 1 (20)
 0
Vaccine history
Fully vaccinated for age 1 (4) 1 0 1 (20) 0
Incomplete/unvaccinated 7 (27) 0 0 0 0
Unknown/not recorded 18 (69) 13 (93) 22 (100) 4 (80) 16 (100)

*Values are no. (%). Total number of cases was 83. †Sex unknown for 1 person.

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Page created: January 15, 2025
Page updated: March 07, 2025
Page reviewed: March 07, 2025
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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