[Epiedmiologic significance of the distribution of corynephages in different collectives]

Abstract

Corynephage distribution was studied in the nasopharyngeal washings of 252 persons infected with C. diphtheriae of gravis type, toxigenic (21 patients and 147 carriers) and non-toxigenic ones (84 carriers), and in 468 uninfected persons in collective bodies under different epidemic conditions. Corynephages were isolated from the nasopharyngeal washings only in persons infected with toxigenic C. diphtheriae--in 4 (of 21) patients, and in 21% (of 147) carriers. Phages tox+ (4--6.2%) were revealed only in carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae with numerous bacteria in the nasopharynx and in diphtheria patients. Carriers of nontoxigenic diphtheria bacilli can become infected with phage tox+ only together with the toxigenic strains (reinfection). The data obtained indicated that toxigenic and nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae strains were individual variants.