ETIDIOH - NEW

{Excerpt} Diphtheria is a major public health problem in the WHO African Region despite substantial efforts on immunization activities over the past three decades .  Between 2000 and 2024, 75 789 suspected diphtheria cases were reported in the Region, with the majority reported from 2023 to 2024, when Algeria, Chad, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Niger , and South Africa reported a resurgence of diphtheria outbreaks with approximately 57 000 suspected cases and 2 000 deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) of 3.5%) recorded.  The countries most affected were Guinea, Nigeria and Niger .  Most cases reported were in children under fifteen years and female .  Over 50% of suspected cases were non-vaccinated or with unknown vaccination status.  In 2025, as of 19 October 2025, over 17 000 suspected diphtheria cases and about 900 deaths with an average CFR of 5.1% have been reported across eight Member States in the African Region; Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mau...

Abstract Background A surge of cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection was observed in reception centers for migrants in Europe beginning in the summer of 2022. Most of the cases were cutaneous , although some respiratory cases as well as one death were reported. A pan-European consortium was created to assess the clinical, epidemiologic, and microbiologic features of this outbreak. Methods We assessed cases of toxigenic C. diphtheriae infection that were reported in 10 European countries from January through November 2022. Data regarding countries of origin and transit routes were obtained from interviews with the patients. Whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial-susceptibility testing were performed on bacterial isolates that were obtained from the patients. The phylogenetic relationships of the isolates and their antimicrobial-resistance genes were evaluated. Results A total of 363 toxigenic C. diphtheriae isolates were identified among 362 patients during the study period....