Carriage of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in children of the Eastern Highlands province.

The incidence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in infected skin sores and the nasopharynx of 99 children from the Asaro Valley in the Eastern Highlands is reported. C. diphtheriae was isolated from 88% of skin sores and 26% of nasopharyngeal swabs. The most common biotype seen was C. diphtheriae var mitis. Toxigenic strains were uncommon, occurring in 5% of skin lesions and 15% of nasopharyngeal swabs. All isolates were sensitive to penicillin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol.