title: The 2001 serological survey in the Czech Republic--diphtheria.
abstract: Diphtheria morbidity in the Czech part of former Czechoslovakia showed a continuous downward trend between 1946 and 1974. Afterwards, sporadic cases of diphtheria were reported in some years. Compulsory vaccination against diphtheria was started in 1946 with a monovaccine, later replaced by bivaccine DiTe. Since 1958, newborns have been vaccinated with DiTePe vaccine. As many as 98% to 100% of the population of age groups under 50 years likely to have been vaccinated have antibody levels > 0.01 lU/ml. About 83% to 88% of the older age groups who represent a naturally immunized population have antibodies as well. This immune status excludes the possibility that diphtheria could spread massively if accidentally imported into the Czech Republic.
authors.affiliation: Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic. bohukriz@szu.cz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kríz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000276:immunology; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004166:Diphtheria Antitoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004166:Diphtheria Antitoxin