HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bisgard, K M Articles by Hadler, S C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bisgard, K M Articles by Hadler, S C

Respiratory diphtheria in the United States, 1980 through 1995.

K M Bisgard, I R Hardy, T Popovic, P M Strebel, M Wharton, R T Chen and S C Hadler

National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiologic, laboratory, and clinical features of respiratory diphtheria cases reported in the United States during 1980 through 1995. METHODS: Respiratory diphtheria cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were reviewed. Cases were defined as physician-diagnosed cases with signs and symptoms compatible with respiratory diphtheria, including the presence of a pseudomembrane without other apparent cause. RESULTS: From 1980 through 1994, 41 respiratory diphtheria cases were reported; none were reported in 1995, and no secondary cases were identified. Nine (22%) case patients were 4 years of age or younger, and 28 (68%) were 15 years of age or older. None of the case patients were up to date with diphtheria vaccination; 4 unvaccinated children died. Seventeen (43%) of 40 case patients had positive culture results. CONCLUSIONS: Available surveillance data suggest that respiratory diphtheria has become a rare disease in the United States. However, importation and circulation of toxigenic strains continue to present a threat and require achieving and maintaining high coverage with diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccines in both children and adults.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. K. Marston, F. Jamieson, F. Cahoon, G. Lesiak, A. Golaz, M. Reeves, and T. Popovic Persistence of a Distinct Corynebacterium diphtheriae Clonal Group within Two Communities in the United States and Canada Where Diphtheria Is Endemic J. Clin. Microbiol., April 1, 2001; 39(4): 1586 - 1590. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. L. Bisno Acute Pharyngitis N. Engl. J. Med., January 18, 2001; 344(3): 205 - 211. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Popovic, C. Kim, J. Reiss, M. Reeves, H. Nakao, and A. Golaz Use of Molecular Subtyping To Document Long-Term Persistence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in South Dakota J. Clin. Microbiol., April 1, 1999; 37(4): 1092 - 1099. [Abstract] [Full Text]