The changing epidemiology of diphtheria in the vaccine era.

@article{Galazka2000TheCE,
  title={The changing epidemiology of diphtheria in the vaccine era.},
  author={Artur M. Galazka},
  journal={The Journal of infectious diseases},
  year={2000},
  volume={181 Suppl 1},
  pages={
          S2-9
        }
}
  • A. Galazka
  • Published 1 February 2000
  • Medicine
  • The Journal of infectious diseases
The epidemic of diphtheria in the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union has drawn attention to our incomplete understanding of the epidemiology of diphtheria. Many unanswered questions remain concerning the reasons for a resurgence of diphtheria and for the shift in the age of patients and concerning the mechanisms for acquisition of immunity in adults through natural infection under unfavorable living conditions. Other unanswered questions relate to the precise role of… 
View on PubMed
academic.oup.com
190 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
9
Background Citations
75
Methods Citations
1
Results Citations
5

Figures and Tables from this paper

190 Citations

Diphtheria in Europe: current problems and new challenges.

Corynebacterium ulcerans has been increasingly isolated as emerging zoonotic agent of diphtheria from companion animals such as cats or dogs, indicating the enduring threat of this thought-to-be controlled disease.

Successful control of epidemic diphtheria in the states of the Former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: lessons learned.

The reemergence of diphtheria warns of an immediate threat of other epidemics in the NIS and Baltic States and a longer-term potential for the reemERGence of vaccine-preventable diseases elsewhere.

Diphtheria remains a threat to health in the developing world--an overview.

The need to be aware of epidemiological features, clinical signs, and symptoms of diphtheria in vaccine era so that cases can be promptly diagnosed and treated, and further public health measures can be taken to contain this serious disease is emphasized.

e-emergence of diphtheria and pertussis : Implications for Nigeria

For developing countries including Nigeria where the capacity for making the diagnosis of both diseases is limited, strengthening of routine immunization as well as diagnostic capacity is imperative, research to determine current levels of immunity in children, adolescents and adults is required.

Re-emergence of diphtheria and pertussis: implications for Nigeria.

Massive diphtheria outbreak in South Asia: an epidemiological evidence review and lesson learnt

An outbreak of diphtheria in Russian Federation in 1990 suggests possible future severe outbreaks, in case of a community with expanding population of nonimmune and limited immunization of children.

History of Diphtheria Vaccine Development

The main scientific breakthroughs that led to the development of the first vaccine against diphtheria and to the control of this disease are reviewed.

Mathematical modeling of diphtheria transmission in Thailand

Epidemiology of Three Cases of Severe Diphtheria in Finnish Patients with Low Antitoxin Antibody Levels

It is suggested that during the 1990–1998 diphtheria epidemic in the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, more than 10 million trips made from Finland to Russia or vice versa resulted in only 10 cases of diphTheria in Finland.

Diphtheria in the Dominican Republic: reduction of cases following a large outbreak.

The 2004-2005 diphtheria outbreak in the Dominican Republic resulted in important and avoidable morbidity and mortality and maintaining high vaccination coverage and diligent surveillance are crucial to preventing diphTheria outbreaks and controlling the disease.
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 109 REFERENCES

Current situation and control strategies for resurgence of diphtheria in newly independent states of the former Soviet Union

A diphtheria epidemic in Lesotho, 1989. Did vaccination increase the population's susceptibility?

It is suggested that the number of throat carriers, who in the absence of skin diphtheria would provide most of the population's immunity, decreases as an indirect consequence of vaccination, and that certain groups not immediately reached by vaccination become more susceptible to diphTheria.

Diphtheria in the former Soviet Union: reemergence of a pandemic disease.

Factors contributing to the epidemic included a large population of susceptible adults; decreased childhood immunization, which compromised what had been a well-established childhood vaccination program; suboptimal socioeconomic conditions; and high population movement.

Status of antitoxic immunity against diphtheria in Japan. A report of the National Epidemiological Surveillance for Important Communicable Diseases.

The data show clearly that the successful control of diphtheria has been accomplished in Japan as the result of active immunization, and indicate that the continuous surveillance for diphTheria is required in this country.

The changing age structure of diphtheria patients: evidence for the effectiveness of EPI in the Sudan.

  • B. Loevinsohn
  • Medicine
    Bulletin of the World Health Organization
  • 1990
Results indicate that improved vaccination coverage led to the shift in the age distribution of diphtheria patients seen during the 1988 outbreak, and can be used as a simple way of assessing the effectiveness of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

Immunity to diphtheria and tetanus in some of the administrative territories of the RSFSR

An essential drop in the level of immunity to diphtheria in persons over 18 years of age was revealed: 71.7% of them were nonimmune, which correlated with the high morbidity rate among these persons.

Implications of the diphtheria epidemic in the Former Soviet Union for immunization programs.

  • A. Galazka
  • Medicine
    The Journal of infectious diseases
  • 2000
It is important to achieve a high level of childhood immunization, maintain immunity against diphtheria in older age groups, and use anti-epidemic measures, including Immunization, to control epidemics in the early phase.

Susceptibility to diphtheria among elderly persons; immunization by the intracutaneous administration of toxoid.

THIS study attempts to evaluate the incidence of susceptibility to diphtheria and the sensitivity to diphtheria toxoid among elderly persons. In addition, a pilot study on a method of immunizing…

Epidemiological features of an outbreak of diphtheria and its control with diphtheria toxoid immunization.

An outbreak of diphtheria primarily involving adults occurred in seven townships and one farm in Jiangling county, Hubei, China from September 1988 to January 1989, following which the incidence declined rapidly.

The changing epidemiology of diphtheria in Jordan.

Contrary to the findings in previous diphtheria epidemics in Jordan, this outbreak largely involved adolescents and young adults.
...