New South Wales has recorded its first case of throat diphtheria in a century, with a two-year-old child in intensive care.
New South Wales has recorded its first case of throat diphtheria in a century.
A two-year-old boy in the north of the state, who was not vaccinated against diphtheria, is in intensive care at a Queensland hospital. IndyNR and WIN News reported Saturday.
According to the North Coast Public Health Unit, the child has received antibiotics, respiratory support and a diphtheria antitoxin, while family and close contacts have received post-exposure prophylaxis.
There is no risk to the community at large.
This is the first time a case of throat diphtheria has been found in NSW in the last hundred years. Some milder forms of infection have been reported in this period.
“Diphtheria is very rare in Australia because of our long-standing childhood immunization program. However, the disease has very serious consequences and can be fatal,” said Dr Paul Douglas, North Coast’s Director of Public Health. . IndyNR.
He noted that diphtheria vaccination is free and easily accessible to all people from six weeks of age.
Dr. Douglas asked families to know the vaccination status of their children and make sure they are up to date with all necessary vaccinations.
According to NSW Health, diphtheria is a contagious bacterial infection and can be life-threatening. It was a common cause of death among children until the 1940s. It now occurs mainly in countries with low levels of vaccination.
It is usually transmitted by respiratory drops when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Bacteria can sometimes spread by close contact through discharges from the mouth, nose, throat, or skin of an infected person, but this method of transmission is rare.
Without antibiotic treatment, people are usually infectious for up to four weeks from the onset of their symptoms.
Symptoms depend on the site of infection, with the most severe form of the disease affecting the throat and tonsils. It starts with sore throat, loss of appetite and mild fever. In two or three days, a greyish white membrane forms over the throat and tonsils which can make swallowing and breathing difficult. The neck may also swell.
The toxin formed by diphtheria bacteria can also cause inflammation of the heart muscle and nerves, which can be fatal in 5-10% of infected people.
Sometimes it can also cause small sores on the skin that form large ulcers, usually on the legs.
The diphtheria vaccine is given at two, four, six, and 18 months of age, and additional booster doses are required at four and 15 years of age.
Last year, more than 90% of Australian children under the age of six were fully vaccinated, according to data from the Australian Childhood Immunization Register.
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