Pastern dermatitis outbreak associated with toxigenic and non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and non-toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans at a horse stable in Finland, 2021

IF 2.4 2区农林科学 Q3 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Zoonoses and Public Health Pub Date : 2023-11-05 DOI:10.1111/zph.13090

Thomas Sven Christer Grönthal, Anna Karoliina Lehto, Sanna Sofia Aarnio, Eva Katarina Eskola, Elina Marjaana Aimo-Koivisto, Teemu Karlsson, Heli Irmeli Koskinen, Alex-Mikael Barkoff, Qiushui He, Taru Lienemann, Ruska Rimhanen-Finne, Anna Mykkänen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aims

Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans, when producing toxin, are the cause of diphtheria, a potentially life-threatening illness in humans. Horses (Equus ferus caballus) are known to be susceptible to infection that may manifest clinically on rare occasions. In late 2021 and early 2022, specimens from five horses suffering from pastern dermatitis were cultured at the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. C. diphtheriae and/or C. ulcerans were recovered from all of these. This study aimed to (1) analyse the bacterial isolates and (2) describe the outbreak and identify possible sources of the infection and infection routes in the stable.

Methods and Results

Susceptibility testing, PCR for the tox gene, and Elek test for toxin production in PCR-positive isolates were performed. Whole genome sequencing was also conducted to achieve high-resolution strain typing. An epidemiological survey was done by means of a semi-structured interview of horses' caretaker, and contact tracing was done among people at the stable. Two tox gene-positive, toxin-producing C. diphtheriae belonged to sequence type (ST) 822. Other C. diphtheriae (n = 2, ST828) and C. ulcerans (n = 2, ST325 and ST838) isolates did not carry the tox gene. The epidemiological investigation explored numerous possible routes of transmission, but the definite source of infection was not identified. All established human contacts tested negative for diphtheriae. All horses recovered after antimicrobial treatment.

Conclusions

Our study shows that C. diphtheriae and C. ulcerans may readily spread among horses at the same stable and complicate pastern dermatitis infections. These potentially zoonotic bacteria can cause outbreaks even in a country with a very low prevalence. Caretakers should be encouraged to wear gloves and practice good hand hygiene when treating infected skin lesions in horses.

Abstract Image

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2021年，芬兰一家马厩爆发了与产毒和非产毒白喉棒状杆菌以及非产毒溃疡棒状杆菌相关的牧场皮炎。

目的：白喉棒状杆菌和溃疡棒状杆菌在产生毒素时，是白喉的病因，白喉是一种可能危及人类生命的疾病。众所周知，马（Equus ferus caballus）易受感染，这种感染在临床上极为罕见。2021年末和2022年初，芬兰赫尔辛基大学兽医学院临床微生物学实验室对五匹患有巴氏皮炎的马的标本进行了培养。白喉梭菌和/或溃疡梭菌从所有这些中回收。本研究旨在（1）分析细菌分离株，（2）描述疫情，并确定马厩中可能的感染源和感染途径。方法和结果：对PCR阳性分离株进行了药敏试验、毒素基因PCR和毒素产生Elek试验。还进行了全基因组测序，以实现高分辨率菌株分型。通过对马匹管理员进行半结构化访谈的方式进行了流行病学调查，并在马厩的人中进行了接触者追踪。两株毒素基因阳性，产毒素的白喉杆菌属于序列型（ST）822。其他白喉梭菌（n = ST828）和溃疡梭菌（n = 2、ST325和ST838）分离株不携带tox基因。流行病学调查探讨了许多可能的传播途径，但没有确定确切的感染源。所有已确定的人类接触者的白喉检测结果均为阴性。所有马匹经过抗菌治疗后均痊愈。结论：我们的研究表明，白喉杆菌和溃疡杆菌可能很容易在同样稳定和复杂的巴氏皮炎感染的马之间传播。即使在一个发病率很低的国家，这些潜在的人畜共患细菌也会引发疫情。应鼓励护理人员在治疗马匹受感染的皮肤损伤时戴手套并保持良好的手部卫生。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Zoonoses and Public Health 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

4.20%

发文量

115

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Zoonoses and Public Health brings together veterinary and human health researchers and policy-makers by providing a venue for publishing integrated and global approaches to zoonoses and public health. The Editors will consider papers that focus on timely collaborative and multi-disciplinary research in zoonoses and public health. This journal provides rapid publication of original papers, reviews, and potential discussion papers embracing this collaborative spirit. Papers should advance the scientific knowledge of the sources, transmission, prevention and control of zoonoses and be authored by scientists with expertise in areas such as microbiology, virology, parasitology and epidemiology. Articles that incorporate recent data into new methods, applications, or approaches (e.g. statistical modeling) which enhance public health are strongly encouraged.