more-in Though vaccine-preventable, diphtheria is causing illness in not just poorly-vaccinated children, but young adults as well, doctors in the city have found. The State-run Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases, popularly referred to as Fever Hospital, the only health facility in the city where treatment for diphtheria is administered, has been seeing at least half a dozen admissions of suspected cases on daily basis. Throat swabs are collected up on admission and bacteria in the sample is cultured to determine the presence of Corynebacterium diptheriae, the bacterium that causes diphtheria. “We are seeing the infection in the age group of 1-25 years. While it is poor vaccination in children under five years that causes diphtheria, lack of awareness among general population about booster doses that puts an adult at risk of infection,” said K. Shankar, Superintendent of Fever Hospital. The first sign that the doctors look for when diphtheria is suspected is whitish or grey patch in the throat. This, however, is not unique to diphtheria as other conditions can also produce a membranous patch on the throat, noticeably over the tonsils. India has been reporting the largest number of diphtheria infections for over three decades now. A review of epidemiology of diphtheria from 2000-2016 published from the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention shows that poor vaccination and waning immunity in young adults could be causing the infections. The country reported 5,293 infections last year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). “In young adults, booster dose comprising diphtheria and tetanus anti-toxins should be taken once every ten years,” Dr. Shankar said. However, under India’s universal immunisation programme, only two booster doses are given at 1.5 and 5 years of age. Organ failure Dr. Shankar also said instances of complications and deaths from diphtheria have reduced over the years as the condition is treatable if diagnosed early. If untreated, the toxin produced by Corynebacterium diptheriae affects organs, including heart, causing organ failure. The treatment is through administration of anti-diphtheria serum and penicillin or erythromycin. As the bacterium is known to be highly contagious, the treatment often occurs in a hospital setting in isolation.

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