Wenwei Wu, Yuhang Deng, Rui Jin, Junjie Mao, Yadong Gao, Quwen Li
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: This is the first report of Corynebacterium belfantii (C. belfantii) in Fujian; genomic characterization confirms misidentification by routine methods and reveals regional phylogenetic characteristics.
WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: This report adds the first local occurrence evidence, new genomic sequences, a distinct phylogenetic sub-branch, and a reinforced surveillance strategy for Fujian Province.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: It emphasizes that laboratories should adopt molecular methods to accurately distinguish C. belfantii, strengthen surveillance of non-toxigenic strains, update MALDI-TOF databases, and monitor virulence and resistance genes despite the absence of diphtheria toxin.