Diphtheria

Current Context : Recently, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) has arrived in Deeg, Rajasthan, to investigate a rise in diphtheria cases.

ABOUT DIPHTHERIA

• Diphtheria, a contagious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
• It primarily affects children, particularly those from newborns to 16 years old, though it can affect adults too in areas with poor immunization coverage.
• Transmission: Spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• Diphtheria is preventable through vaccines. In India, it is covered under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) and provided as part of the DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)

Global and Indian Context:

• India is one of the countries reporting a significant number of diphtheria cases. For instance, India recorded 2,365 cases in 2015 as per WHO data​
• Globally, diphtheria cases have been rising, with 16,651 cases reported in 2018, double the annual average from 1996 to 2017.