Abstract
To clarify the possibility of infection by toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans among humans, a survey of toxigenic C. ulcerans infection among domestic cats was performed in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan in May-July 2012. In results of measurement of serum diphtheria antitoxin titers, diphtheria antitoxin was detected in two of 187 cats (0.651 IU/ml and 0.230 IU/ml). The study demonstrated the existence of diphtheria antitoxin in domestic cats in the prefecture, which suggests the possibility of domestic cats as a possible vector of infection for toxigenic C. ulcerans in humans.
