Multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium diphtheriae in people with travel history from West Africa to France, March to September 2023
While diphtheria is largely controlled in high-income countries, regions with suboptimal vaccination coverage can experience large outbreaks, and travel from endemic or epidemic regions may result in case importation [1-4]. Whereas classical diphtheria presents as respiratory infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, cutaneous infections are common and play an important role in transmission [5]. Here we report on 10 unlinked cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection (nine cutaneous, one respiratory) in France in 2023 in persons travelling from Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Niger or Nigeria and Central African Republic.
We describe 10 unlinked cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection (nine cutaneous, one respiratory) in France in 2023 in persons travelling from Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Niger or Nigeria and Central African Republic. Four isolates were toxigenic. Seven genomically unrelated isolates were multidrug-resistant, including a toxigenic respiratory isolate with high-level resistance to macrolides and beta-lactams. The high rates of resistance, including against first-line agents, call for further microbiological investigations to guide clinical management and public health response in ongoing West African outbreaks.