Fulminant infective endocarditis with toxin-negative Corynebacterium diphtheriae in people with substance use experiencing homelessness, England, 2024 to 2025

Between July 2024 and January 2025, five male patients in their early 20s to early 50s were confirmed with infective endocarditis associated with non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae in England. Three were known to have experienced homelessness. All five used non-intravenous recreational drugs....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 30; no. 13; p. 1
Main Authors: Patel, Tara, Anwar, Tasnim, Mavrogiorgou, Eleni, Utjesanovic, Natasa, Aryee, Anna, Litt, David J, D’Aeth, Joshua C., Primus, Christopher, Das, Satya, Karogiannis, Nikolaos, Paranthaman, Karthik, Amirthalingam, Gayatri, Cordery, Rebecca
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 03.04.2025
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Subjects:
Adult
corynebacterium
Corynebacterium diphtheriae - genetics
Corynebacterium diphtheriae - isolation & purification
diphtheria
Diphtheria - diagnosis
Diphtheria - microbiology
Endocarditis
Endocarditis - diagnosis
Endocarditis - microbiology
Endocarditis, Bacterial - diagnosis
Endocarditis, Bacterial - microbiology
England - epidemiology
Genomics
Health surveillance
Humans
Ill-Housed Persons
Male
Middle Aged
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Rapid Communication
Substance abuse treatment
Substance-Related Disorders - complications
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
surveillance
Whole Genome Sequencing
Young Adult
England
endocarditis
surveillance
corynebacterium
diphtheria
ISSN:1560-7917, 1025-496X, 1560-7917
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Between July 2024 and January 2025, five male patients in their early 20s to early 50s were confirmed with infective endocarditis associated with non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae in England. Three were known to have experienced homelessness. All five used non-intravenous recreational drugs. Disease progression was rapid, four patients required surgical intervention, one died. Whole-genome sequencing and multilocus sequence type (MLST) analysis identified four individuals as ST559. Clinicians and substance use services have been alerted and enhanced surveillance implemented. A prevalence study is planned.
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Correspondence: Rebecca Cordery (rebecca.cordery@ukhsa.gov.uk)
ISSN:1560-7917
1025-496X
1560-7917
DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.13.2500148