Emerg Infect DiseidEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-6059Centers for Disease Control103411922640788Research ArticleEmergence of related nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis strains in Western Europe.FunkeG.AltweggM.FrommeltL.von GraevenitzA.University of Zurich, Switzerland.May-Jun199953477480

We report on 17 isolates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis with related ribotypes from Switzerland, Germany, and France. Isolates came from skin and subcutaneous infections of injecting drug users, homeless persons, prisoners, and elderly orthopedic patients with joint prostheses or primary joint infections. Such isolates had only been observed in Switzerland.