Epidemiology and molecular characterisation of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae var mitis from a case of cutaneous diphtheria in Manchester

Diphtheria is now an uncommon disease in Britain. We describe an imported case of cutaneous diphtheria in a previously unimmunised adult caused by C. diphtheriae var mitis. The control measures adopted to deal with the index case and two secondary cases so as to limit further spread among household and school contacts are outlined. Molecular typing was used to study the mode of spread of the organism among contacts.