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Transmission

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Humans are the only known reservoir for C. diphtheriae while normal reservoir of C. ulcerans is cattle (1). There is no intermediate host.

The organism is transmitted by infected droplets spread via:

  • air-borne droplets from patients or from healthy carriers
  • direct contact with respiratory secretions or exudates from infected cutaneous lesion
  • articles soiled with discharges from lesions of infected people - rarely (3)

Prolonged close contact is normally required for transmission (3).

Reference:

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