Australia Announces First Diphtheria Cases in Several Decades

The first cases of diphtheria in over 30 years were announced by Healthy North Coast (HNC), a non-profit Australian government initiative. Since the 1990s, there have been no new cases of diphtheria in northern New South Wales (NSW) until July 2, 2022.  

On July 2, 2022, a 2 year old in northern NSW was diagnosed with diphtheria. Since then, another case has been identified in a 6 year old who was in close contact with the first patient. A news statement from the HNC explained that the diagnosed children were not vaccinated against the illness.  

According to NSW Health, “diphtheria is a contagious bacterial infection caused by toxin-producing strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans. In some cases, it can be life-threatening.” 

NSW Health says that diphtheria symptoms can appear between 2 and 10 days after exposure and may vary depending on where the infection begins.  

When diphtheria affects the throat and tonsils, the symptoms are the most severe, leading to a sore throat, loss of appetite, fever, trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing, and neck swelling. In critical cases, diphtheria can be fatal as inflammation of the heart and nerves can occur.  

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia states that, in the early 1920s, before the creation of the diphtheria vaccine, diphtheria was one of the leading causes of death in the United States.  

The organization’s vaccine history website states that “since the introduction of effective immunization in the 1920s, diphtheria rates have dropped dramatically in the United States and other countries that vaccinate widely. In 1974, the reach of diphtheria immunization expanded when the World Health Organization included diphtheria toxoid in its list of recommended immunizations for its Expanded Program on Immunization for developing countries.” 

The Australian government recommends the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine at 2, 4, 6, and 18 months with a booster at 4 and 15 years old. This vaccine regimen has proven to be successful in the prevention of diphtheria. 

In the US, the CDC recommends diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines for children under 7. The vaccines are typically administered at 2, 4, and 6 months, between 15 and 18 months, and between 4 and 6 years old. Boosters are given via tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines at 11 or 12 years old and every 10 years from then on.  

Other countries, including the US, must remain vigilant of diphtheria risk with cases appearing in Australia. Pediatricians continue to encourage vaccination as a means of prevention.  

“The current risk to the community is low; however, diphtheria is a serious disease that can be fatal, and residents are encouraged to ensure immunizations are kept up to date,” concluded the HNC news release.