We thought she was gone, but the diphtheria makes a surprising return to European territory. In France alone, at least 30 cases have been counted since January 2022according to data from Public Health France. But other neighboring countries have been more affected: 118 cases in Germany, 69 in Austria and 52 in Switzerland. “This is a rather exceptional situation, however we cannot speak of a European epidemic, because there have been no transmissions to the general population: these cases remain limited to people arriving from abroad, in a situation of vulnerability, often asylum seekers“, specifies Dr Sylvain Brisse, director of the National Reference Center for Diphtheria in Figaro.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious infectious disease that can be caused by two diseases: Corynebacterium diphtheriae Or C.ulcerans. It is transmitted via nasopharyngeal secretions or skin wounds, or even by indirect contact with objects contaminated by patients. For the second bacterium, it is transmitted through milk and contact with cattle.
It is manifested by fever, sore throat, a red throat or even headaches and can cause breathing problems, heart failure and paralysis of the muscles of the mouth and throat. the throat used for swallowing. In the worst case, it can lead to death by asphyxiation. Diphtheria can also damage the skin and cause skin lesions.
Why are cases picking up?
Reassuring news: wave is now over in France, in particular because the population is largely protected thanks to a high rate of vaccination. If its causes are not really known, the researchers assume that it could be due to poor vaccination coverage in the countries from which the patients originate, in particular Syria and Afghanistan. Indeed, if diphtheria seemed to have disappeared from the European continent, it remains a major public health problem in Asia, Africa and even Russia.
The majority of cases have been reported in unvaccinated or poorly vaccinated migrants with mainly cutaneous forms of diphtheria, which are less serious. They would be “probably linked to a lack of hygiene and promiscuity“, adds Dr. Brisse.
A return of cases which reminds us of the need for good vaccination coverage, which is particularly effective against the disease. In France, vaccination against diphtheria (DTCaPolio or DTPolio) has been compulsory since 1938 and official recommendations provide for booster shots in adults at 25, 45 and 65 years old and then every 10 years.
Sources:
- Public Health France
- Unprecedented wave of cases in Europe, Le FigaroApril 13, 2023
