This photomicrograph depicted a variety of Gram-positive Corynebacterium diphtheriae micro organism, which had been stained utilizing the methylene blue method. Credit score: CDC/ Public Area
The most important diphtheria outbreak to strike Western Europe in 70 years has been affecting weak folks equivalent to migrants and the homeless since 2022, new analysis mentioned Wednesday.
Diphtheria is a extremely contagious bacterial an infection that may assault the respiratory tract and unfold all through the physique, inflicting a sore throat, fever and different signs.
For unvaccinated folks, it may be deadly in round 30% of instances, and is deadlier for youngsters, in accordance with the World Well being Group.
In 2022, there was an uncommon surge within the micro organism that causes diphtheria—Corynebacterium diphtheriae—in a number of European nations, significantly amongst not too long ago arrived migrants, in accordance with a research within the New England Journal of Drugs.
That yr 362 instances had been recorded by the European Middle for Illness Prevention and Management.
Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, however uncommon infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers mentioned.
A complete of 536 instances, together with three deaths, have been recorded throughout Europe because the begin of 2022.
Affected person samples from 10 nations confirmed that 98% of the instances had been in males with a mean age of 18. Nearly all had not too long ago migrated.
“The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries,” mentioned a joint assertion from France’s public well being company and the Pasteur Institute.
The genetic similarities between the strains seen in folks from completely different nations means that there was a “recent point of contact, outside the country of origin” on the supply of the outbreak, the assertion added.
The precise areas affected by the outbreak stays unclear.
However a genetic hyperlink between the 2022 pressure and the one detected in Germany this yr signifies that “the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe,” the assertion mentioned.
Vaccination may be very efficient at heading off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the significance of immunization applications for most people.
Additionally they referred to as for European nations to do extra to make sure their most weak folks keep away from contracting the illness.
That included elevating consciousness of the signs amongst medical doctors and people involved with migrants and the homeless, in addition to growing entry to vaccines and antibiotic medication.
© 2025 AFP
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