Diphtheria in the former Soviet Union: reemergence of a pandemic disease.
The massive reemergence of diphtheria in the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union marked the first large-scale diphtheria epidemic in industrialized countries in 3 decades. Factors contributing to the epidemic included a large population of susceptible adults; decreased childhood immunization, which compromised what had been a well-established childhood vaccination program; suboptimal socioeconomic conditions; and high population movement. The role of a change in the predominant circulating strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in this epidemic remains uncertain. Massive, well-coordinated international assistance and unprecedented efforts to vaccinate adults were needed to control the epidemic.
Vitek
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. cxv3@cdc.gov
Wharton
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D000328:Adult; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D014586:USSR / Q000453:epidemiology