[First confirmed case of laryngeal diphtheria in Djibouti].
The first bacteriologically confirmed case of laryngeal diphtheria in Djibouti was reported in 1998. It involved a three-year-old native-born infant who had been vaccinated during the first year of life with three doses of a combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, and pertussis. A rapid clinical improvement was observed under erythromycin treatment. Other cases of laryngeal diphtheria have been observed. It is important to reverse decreasing vaccinal coverage in Djibouti and to warn incoming travelers of the need to be adequate immunized against diphtheria. Enhanced epidemiologic surveillance of this disease is also needed.
Laboratoire de biologie clinique, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées du Val de Grâce, 74, boulevard de Port-Royal, 75230 Paris. jlkoeck@filnet.fr
J L
JL
Koeck
C
C
Merle
F
F
Bimet
M
M
Kiredjian
B
B
Goullin
R
R
Teyssou
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D015730:Djibouti / Q000453:epidemiology; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*
D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D004917:Erythromycin