Addressing Reemergence of Diphtheria among Adolescents through Program Integration in India

Abstract

We report a diphtheria outbreak mostly among children (median 12 years; range 4–26 years) of a religious minority in urban India. Case-fatality rate (15%, 19/124) was higher among unimmunized patients (relative risk 4.1, 95% CI 1.5–11.7). We recommend mandating and integrating immunization into school health programs to prevent reemergence.

Keywords

• adolescents
• bacteria
• children
• Corynebacterium diphtheriae
• diphtheria
• disease outbreaks