Diphtheria diagnostic capacity in the Western Pacific Region
10.5365/wpsar.2019.10.2.008
- Author:
Santosh Gurung
1
;
Amy Trindall
2
;
Lucy Reeve
2
;
Adroulla Efstratiou
2
;
Varja Grabovac
1
Author Information
1. Expanded Programme on Immunization Unit, Division of Communicable Diseases, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
2. Public Health England, London, United Kingdom
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
bacteriological techniques/methods;
Corynebacterium infections/microbiology;
laboratory proficiency testing
- From:
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response
2019;10(4):46-49
- CountryWHO-WPRO
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease affecting the upper respiratory tract and occasionally the skin and is caused by the action of diphtheria toxin produced by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Corynebacterium infections are usually difficult to control due to their epidemic patterns, the emergence of new strains, novel reservoirs and their dissemination to susceptible human and animal populations.1 Although C. diphtheriae is largely controlled through mass immunization programmes, diphtheria escalated to epidemic proportions within the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Republics in the 1990s, highlighting the potential for this disease to cause morbidity and mortality when immunization programmes are disrupted.2 A recent review of global diphtheria epidemiology, which included an analysis of cases and information about age, showed age distribution shifts and found that the majority of cases occur in adolescents and adults.3 Shifts in age distribution, from children to adolescents and adults, were observed from countries in the Western Pacific Region such as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic,4 the Philippines3 and Viet Nam.5
- Full text:wpsar.2019.10.2.008.pdf
