Management and outcome of cutaneous diphtheria in adolescent refugees in Germany, June 2022 – October 2023.

Objectives: From September 2022 an increase in Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C. diphtheriae) infections was reported in Europe. Our study focuses on 31 adolescent and young adult refugees with cutaneous C. diphtheriae infections detected in Germany. We examined treatment regimens and outcomes to prov...

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Publicado en:Infection Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 329 - 338
Autores principales: Zink, Alicia, Hofer, Juliana, Schneider, Christian, Kessler, Franziska, Klenze, Hannes, Klauwer, Dietrich, Maleki, Klaudia, Müller, Andreas, Goretzki, Sarah, Wang, Shubei, Kobbe, Robin, Ramirez, Andrea Vanegas, Bode, Sebastian, Janda, Ales, Fressle, Roland, Remppis, Jonathan, Henneke, Philipp, Rieg, Siegbert, Berger, Anja, Sing, Andreas
Formato: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Feb2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      place: New York, New York
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        atl: Management and outcome of cutaneous diphtheria in adolescent refugees in Germany, June 2022 – October 2023.
      aug:
        au:
          Zink, Alicia
          Hofer, Juliana
          Schneider, Christian
          Kessler, Franziska
          Klenze, Hannes
          Klauwer, Dietrich
          Maleki, Klaudia
          Müller, Andreas
          Goretzki, Sarah
          Wang, Shubei
          Kobbe, Robin
          Ramirez, Andrea Vanegas
          Bode, Sebastian
          Janda, Ales
          Fressle, Roland
          Remppis, Jonathan
          Henneke, Philipp
          Rieg, Siegbert
          Berger, Anja
          Sing, Andreas
        affil: https://ror.org/0245cg223 Division for Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Centre, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
      sug:
        subj:
          Diphtheria Drug Therapy
          Diphtheria In Adolescence
          Refugees Psychosocial Factors
          Disease Management
          Treatment Outcomes
          Human
          Funding Source
          Germany
          Antiinfective Agents, Local
          Clindamycin
          Descriptive Statistics
          Adolescence
          Treatment Duration
          Wound Healing
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
      ab: Objectives: From September 2022 an increase in Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C. diphtheriae) infections was reported in Europe. Our study focuses on 31 adolescent and young adult refugees with cutaneous C. diphtheriae infections detected in Germany. We examined treatment regimens and outcomes to provide targeted insights into the management of this infection. Methods: We distributed a standardized survey, focused on children and adolescents presenting to paediatric clinics through the German Paediatric Infectious Diseases Society (DGPI) and additional professional contacts in Germany. Data were extracted from routine medical documentation and reported anonymously. Results: A total of 31 individuals with cutaneous C. diphtheriae infection were reported by 9 centres. Two of these showed diphtheria toxin (DT) related systemic symptoms and four exhibited systemic inflammation requiring complex management. The remaining 25 cases, with exclusively cutaneous manifestations, were afebrile. Treatment with topical antiseptics and systemic antibiotics, mainly aminopenicillin/beta-lactamase inhibitors (BLI) (35%) or clindamycin (25%), achieved eradication in all but two cases treated with aminopenicillin/BLI. Treatment duration varied between 5 and 17 days. Conclusions: In refugees presenting with chronic skin wounds, C. diphtheriae should be included into the differential diagnosis. Fever seems to be a valuable marker to differentiate severe cases with potentially DT-mediated sequelae from exclusively cutaneous diphtheria (CD). For afebrile CD, topical antiseptics and oral antibiotic therapy with clindamycin for 7 days, followed by clinical surveillance appears to be a safe treatment regimen. Patients with CD who present with fever or pharyngitis should be thoroughly investigated including blood and pharyngeal swab cultures.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
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        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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