When was diphtheria an epidemic?
During the 1920s, 100,000 to 200,000 cases of diphtheria (140 to 150 cases per 100,000 population) and 13,000 to 15,000 deaths were reported each year.
When was diphtheria at its peak?
1921 saw a peak in diphtheria activity in the United States: more than 200,000 cases at a time when the case-fatality ratio (deaths per cases) was 5-10%.
Was there ever a diphtheria epidemic?
1921-1925: Diphtheria epidemic Diphtheria peaked in 1921, with 206,000 cases . It causes swelling of the mucous membranes, including in your throat, that can obstruct breathing and swallowing. Sometimes a bacterial toxin can enter the bloodstream and cause fatal heart and nerve damage.
Were there any epidemics in the 1800s?
Diseases and epidemics of the 19th century included long-standing epidemic threats such as smallpox, typhus, yellow fever, and scarlet fever. In addition, cholera emerged as an epidemic threat and spread worldwide in six pandemics in the nineteenth century.
How many died from diphtheria?
However, after it broke up into separate countries, childhood vaccination levels fell, and this led to a diphtheria epidemic. Between 1990 and 1998 there were 157,000 cases of diphtheria and 5,000 deaths. The outbreak was eventually brought under control by a massive vaccination programme.
What country did diphtheria originate from?
The diphtheria bacterium was first identified in the 1880s and in the 1890s diphtheria antitoxin was developed in Germany to treat victims of the disease.
How did we eradicate diphtheria?
Since the 1980s authorities worldwide have managed to almost completely eradicate diphtheria by systematically vaccinating all young children with a combined vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and polio, called DTP3.
Was there a pandemic in 1890?
The 1889–1890 pandemic, often referred to as the “Asiatic flu” or “Russian flu”, was a worldwide respiratory viral pandemic. It was the last great pandemic of the 19th century, and is among the deadliest pandemics in history.
How many people died of diphtheria in 2019?
A total of 284 deaths were reported (17 in 2016, 103 in 2017, 151 in 2018, and 13 in 2019). In 2019, the highest case-fatality rate occurred in the age group of 5 to 9 years-old (7%), followed by 10 to 15 years-old (4%).