Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Nigeria struggles to contain worst diphtheria outbreak

Three nurses care for a 10-year-old girl at a clinic treating dozens of patients in Kano, northern Nigeria, amid the country's worst diphtheria outbreak which has killed hundreds of people since the start of the year.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Diphtheria outbreak kills 58 in Guinea

An outbreak of diphtheria in northeastern Guinea has killed 58 people, many of them young children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement received Thursday.

Medical economics

Vaccine gap 'fueling Nigeria's diphtheria outbreak'

Low vaccine coverage and weak infrastructure have fueled a recurrence of diphtheria in Nigeria, especially in rural areas beset by poor access to healthcare services, public health experts say.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Nigeria confirms diphtheria outbreak; 25 dead in one state

Nigerian health authorities confirmed an outbreak of diphtheria Friday and reported that 25 people, most of them children, have died so far in one of the worst-hit states in the country's north.

Vaccination

Tdap or Td vaccine may be used for decennial Td booster doses

(HealthDay)—Either tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Td) vaccine or tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine may be used for Td booster doses every 10 years or when indicated for tetanus ...

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Diphtheria (Greek διφθέρα (diphthera) "pair of leather scrolls") is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane (a pseudomembrane) on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity. A milder form of diphtheria can be restricted to the skin. Less common consequences include myocarditis (about 20% of cases) and peripheral neuropathy (about 10% of cases). Diphtheria is extremely rare in the United States and Canada.

Diphtheria is a contagious disease spread by direct physical contact or breathing the aerosolized secretions of infected individuals. Historically quite common, diphtheria has largely been eradicated in industrialized nations through widespread vaccination. In the United States, for example, there were 52 reported cases of diphtheria between 1980 and 2000; between 2000 and 2007, there were only three cases as the diphtheria–pertussis–tetanus (DPT) vaccine is recommended for all school-age children. Boosters of the vaccine are recommended for adults, since the benefits of the vaccine decrease with age without constant re-exposure; they are particularly recommended for those traveling to areas where the disease has not been eradicated.

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