Adult Diphteria: Possible Transmission of Corynebacterium  diphtheriae from Unvaccinated Child?

Thenmalar Kandasamy; Fatimahtuz Zahrah Muhamad Damanhuri; Adillahtul Bushro Zaini; Siti Zulaikha Zakariah; Rosni Ibrahim

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Adult Diphteria: Possible Transmission of Corynebacterium diphtheriae from Unvaccinated Child?

Author: Thenmalar Kandasamy ¹ ; Fatimahtuz Zahrah Muhamad Damanhuri ¹ ; Adillahtul Bushro Zaini ¹ ; Siti Zulaikha Zakariah ² ; Rosni Ibrahim ²
Author Information

1. Department of Pathology, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Jalan Hospital 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
2. Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Publication Type:Case Reports
Keywords: Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTaP); Elek Test; Diphtheria Antitoxin
From:Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2021;17(No.3):311-314
CountryMalaysia
Language:English
Abstract: A case of a toxigenic strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in an immunocompetent adult is presented, with the possibility of the adult acquiring the infection from her unvaccinated child. The abovementioned adult is a 29-year-old housewife who was previously immunised with diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccination in childhood, who presented fever, cough, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, odynophagia, and bilaterally enlarged tonsils. A throat swab confirmed the presence of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The patient was given 80,000 international units (IU) dose of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) and treated with 2.4 million units (MU) QID intravenous penicillin and oral erythromycin 800 mg twice daily for two weeks. The patient responded well to the treatment and recovered with no cardiovascular or neurotoxicity.
Full text:11.2021my1104.pdf