Diphtheria kills 26 children in just a month

Fernanda Milans del Bosch, María Montilla, Sofía Morales and José Alfonso Moreno

October 1st 2018

Twenty-six children below the age of 9 have reportedly died from Diphtheria in New Delhi over the last month. But how has this disease, which has almost been eradicated from most countries and whose vaccine was introduced in India 40 years ago, caused so many deaths in such a small period of time?

Diphtheria is a mucous infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which creates a thick white covering over the tonsils and the back of the throat, making it easily diagnosable when medical help is seeked in the early stages of the infection.

However, if it is not treated quickly, the toxin released by this bacterium hampers breathing, the functioning of kidneys, heart and nervous system, resulting in death. The main issue is that parents tend to misunderstand the symptoms as a simple cold, deriving in a delay in treatment to 7-8 days after the appearance of the symptoms and therefore a critical condition of the patient. This is especially frustrating for doctors, since the situation can be easily controlled with the anti-diphtheric serum up to 4 days after the first symptoms. Besides this, there was a serious shortage of medicines to treat the affected, which made the doctor’s duty even more challenging.

Most children who have recently died from Diphtheria proceeded from the same region, where parents claim not having had their children vaccinated or totally vaccinated. Additionally, the spread was accelerated by the quick transmission of the bacterium, through something as simple and apparently unimportant as a sneeze.

A similar episode occurred last year regarding children from the same area. Hence doctors brought the situation to the attention of the government pleading for meticulously regulated vaccinations for all children regardless of the region they live in, as well as an adequate and constant supply of the medicine.

Being known to having caused epidemics in the past (Diphtheria killed around 5000 people in former Soviet Union in the 1990’s), it is of great importance and urgency for the Indian government to step in and put a stop to this infection before it goes too far.

Keywords: #bacteria #microbiology #diphtheria

Sharma, V. (2018). One more diphtheria death reported in Delhi, toll now 26. Hindustan Times.https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/one-more-diphtheria-death-reported-in-delhi-toll-now-26/story-d8Mm92QEdWVBiknAw8FT6J.html Last visit: October 18th2018.