AUTHOR=Alvarez George V. , Rupert Deborah D. , Sinclair Samantha , Miyara Santiago J. , Guevara Sara , Shih Peter , Hoey Cynthia 

TITLE=Cardiac arrest associated with non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheria strain: A case report

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.1003193

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2022.1003193

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Here we document a rare, acute, infection caused by non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae
and the resulting unique and severe clinical sequelae. Our patient was a young man with no known preexisting
conditions that presented in cardiopulmonary arrest. We contrast this case with prior instances of
non-toxigenic C. diphtheriae strain infection in the United States and the literature that suggests the
resulting systemic infection can result in cardiogenic toxicity. We speculate on possible missed, pre-existing
conditions that could have increased this patient’s susceptibility to poor clinical outcome.