In October 2024, a three-year-old girl died of suspected diphtheria in Punjab’s Faridkot. Authorities said the child was not vaccinated against the preventable disease.
- Diphtheria is a contagious disease that is caused by toxin producing bacteria. A toxin produced by some strains of the Corynebacterium diphtheria bacteria results in diphtheria.
- It can spread from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
- Some people may not develop disease manifestations but can still transmit the bacteria to others.
- Diphtheria affects the upper respiratory tract and less often the skin. It also produces a toxin that damages the heart and the nerves.
- Diphtheria is a vaccine preventable disease, but multiple doses and booster doses are needed to produce and sustain immunity. Those who are not immunized or under immunized are at risk of the disease.
- Immunisation is the best prevention against it, with the full schedule requiring seven doses between 0-16 years.
- Three doses are given before the child turns one, a booster Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DPT) shot when the child is two, a fifth dose when the child turns six, and one each in years 10 and 16.
- The WHO’s data portal showed 3,850 diphtheria cases reported from India in 2023.
- Under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), Government of India is providing vaccination free of cost against ten vaccine preventable diseases which also includes Diphtheria vaccine.
