Diphtheria is a contagious bacterial infection mainly affecting the nose and throat and can affect the skin too. WHO documents outbreaks across parts of Africa with cases and deaths reported across multiple countries in 2025. Children and young adults make up most cases. Treatment includes diphtheria antitoxin with antibiotics, and may involve inpatient care.
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Diphtheria is an acute infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
medlineplus.govLarge outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable disease, which was once a major killer of children in the US, are in Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Chad.
www.bostonglobe.comWHO fact sheet on diphtheria, including key facts, symptoms, treatment, prevention and WHO response.
www.who.intYou may need to stay in the hospital while getting the antitoxin. Other treatments may include: Fluids by IV Oxygen Bed rest Heart monitoring Insertion of a breathing tube Correction of airway blockages People without symptoms who carry the diphtheria bacteria should be treated with antibiotics.
www.pennmedicine.orgDiphtheria is a potentially fatal contagious bacterial infection that mainly affects the nose and throat, and sometimes the skin. It's very rare in England.
www.nhs.ukFrom 1 January to 2 November 2025, a total of 20 412 suspected diphtheria cases, including 1 252 deaths (an average case fatality ratio [CFR] - 6 %) have been reported across eight Member States in the WHO African Region (Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and South Africa). Several of these countries have been experiencing ongoing outbreaks since 2023. Children and young adults represent the majority of the cases, with females accounting for a slightly greater...
www.who.intThe World Health Organization has rapidly developed guidance on the clinical management of diphtheria in response to increasing outbreaks in several African countries.1 There were outbreaks of diphtheria in Guinea, Nigeria, and neighbouring countries in 2023. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a diphtheria epidemic is currently raging in the Batha region of central Chad with more than 825 cases and 36 deaths reported since June 2023. WHO says the recent outbreaks highlight the urgent...
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