The diphtheria epidemic in Eastern Europe (still going strong)
Vaccine and Immunization News the Newsletter of the Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization 1996(1): 9
1996
PMID: 12179920 Document Number: 308349
Since the current eastern European diphtheria epidemic began in Moscow in 1990, Russia has experienced an almost 2-fold increase in cases annually up to 1994. The epidemic has since spread to most parts of the Newly Independent States (NIS). 50,385 cases were reported from the NIS in 1995; 99.9% of all European cases, more than 80% of the world's total, and 5% higher than the 1994 total. Between 1993 and 1994, the NIS's total number of cases increased by 144% and Russia, with 35,631 cases, accounted for 71% of the NIS total, a 10% decline compared with 1994. Although an estimated 1500 people died in the region in 1995 due to diphtheria, intensive and widespread immunization campaigns prevented even greater loss of life and even caused a reduction in case numbers for the first time last year by 10%. In the region, immunization efforts were most impressive in Russia, where the national diphtheria control program vaccinated 70% of adults and more than 85% of children. The World Health Organization's (WHO) European Office (EURO) in conjunction with UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appealed for US$32 million in June 1995 to immunize the region's entire population. US$16 million have thus far been received from the US Agency for International Development, the European Community, Japan, other European countries, and others.