Divergent evolution of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in India: An update from National Diphtheria Surveillance network.

ABSTRACT: Diphtheria is caused by a toxigenic bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria which is being an emerging pathogen in India. Since diphtheria morbidity and mortality continues to be high in the country, the present study aimed to study the molecular epidemiology of C. diphtheriae strains from India. A total of 441 diphtheria suspected specimens collected as part of the surveillance programme between 2015 and 2020 were studied. All the isolates were confirmed as C. diphtheriae with standard biochemical tests, ELEK's test, and real-time PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for the subset of isolates showed intermediate susceptibility to penicillin and complete susceptible to erythromycin and cefotaxime. Isolates were characterized using multi locus sequence typing method. MLST analysis for th

SUBMITTER: Devanga Ragupathi NK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8673651 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature