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Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo

Received: 29 August 2021     Accepted: 9 November 2021     Published: 17 November 2021
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Abstract

Diphtheria is a notifiable infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Objective: To establish the epidemiological characteristics in patients with diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective and field research. The sample was represented by patients older than 15 years admitted to the Internal Medicine service. Results: Between January 2018 and December 2018, 67 patients were included, the incidence was 25 cases per million inhabitants, 58,2% were female, aged between 15 - 65 years. 92,5% did not travel in the last month, 19,4% reported having had contact with diphtheria. Most of the cases came from the Maracaibo municipality in 46,3%. The predominant educational status was complete secondary with 59,7%. 86,6% do not know their vaccination history. The current occupation that prevailed was merchant in 34,3%, followed by housewife 23,9% and student 17,9%. The socioeconomic status by the Method of Graffar Méndez Castellano, the working class stratum IV predominated with 77,6%. The time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to hospitalization was 1-15 days. Tonsillitis-like respiratory form as a typical clinical presentation in all cases; fever, dysphagia, and presence of adherent pseudomembrane predominated in most patients. 22,4% presented complications. Most of the cases were confirmed clinically 77,6% while 4,5% were laboratory confirmed. The fatality rate was 19,4%. Conclusion: Diphtheria is a re-emerging disease in Venezuela in recent years, it affects any age and sex, in addition, it has been associated with low vaccination coverage and low socioeconomic status, so prevention and control is essential to eradicate the disease.

Published in Science Journal of Clinical Medicine (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16
Page(s) 113-119
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Epidemiological Characteristics, Patients with Diphtheria, Diphtheria

References
[1] Parande M., Mantur R., Mantur B., Parande A., & Shinde R. (2017). Resurgence of diphtheria in rural areas of North Karnataka, India. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 35, 247-251.
[2] Allam R., Uthappa C., Duerst R., Sorley E., Udaragudi P., Kampa S., & Dworkin M. (2016). A Case-control Study of Diphtheria in the High Incidence City of Hyderabad, India, The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 35 (3): 253-256.
[3] Mahomed S., Archary M., Mutevedzi P., Mahabeer Y., Govender P., Ntshoe G., Kuhn W., Thomas J., Olowolagba A., Blumberg L., McCarthy K., Mlisana K., Du Plessis M., Von Gottberg A., & Moodley P. (2017). An isolated outbreak of diphtheria in South Africa, 2015, Epidemiol. Infect., 1- 9.
[4] Both L., Collins S., Zoysa A., White J., Mandal S., & Efstratiou A. (2014). Molecular and epidemiological review of toxigenic diphtheria infections in England between 2007 and 2013. J. Clin. Microbiol., 1- 20.
[5] Belchior E., Sabine H., Badell E., Collet L., Benoit T., Montera A., Guiso N., Patey O., Levy D., Filleul L., Chieze F., & Olivier S. (2017). Diphtheria in Mayotte, 2007–2015, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 23 (7): 1218-1220.
[6] Garib Z., Danovaro C., Tavarez Y., Leal I., & Pedreira C. (2015). Diphtheria in the Dominican Republic: reduction of cases following a large outbreak. Pan-American Journal of Public Health, 38, 292–299.
[7] Pan-American Health Organization / World Health Organization. (2018). Epidemiological Update: Diphtheria. February 28. Washington, D.C.
[8] Santos L., Sant'Anna L., Ramos J., Ladeira E., Stavracakis R., Borges L., Santos C., Napoleão F., Camello T., Pereira G., Hirata J., Vieira V., Cosme L. Sabbadini P., & Mattos A. (2015). Diphtheria outbreak in Maranhão, Brazil: microbiological, clinical and epidemiological aspects. Epidemiol. Infect., 143, 791–798.
[9] Ministry of Popular Power for Health. (2016). Epidemiological week No. 52 from December 25 to 31, 2016. Epidemiological Bulletin, Year of edition LX.
[10] Guiso N. (2015). Impact of vaccination on epidemiology of diphtheria and pertussis, Molecular Therapy and Prevention of Human Disease (URE), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. Vaccine Research, 2 (1): 6-8.
[11] Kasper D., Fauci A., Braunwald E., Hauser S., Longo D., Jameson L., & Loscalzo J. (2016). Diphtheria and Other Infections Caused by Corinebacteria. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine; 19th edition; Mexico: McGraw Hill Interamerican, 175, 911-981.
[12] World Health Organization. (2017). Diphtheria vaccine: WHO position paper - August 2017. Weekly epidemiological record Relevé épidémiologique hebdomadaire, 92 (31): 417–436.
[13] Clarke K. (2016). Review of the epidemiology of diphtheria - 2000-2016. Us Center for Disease control and prevention, 1-35.
[14] Kliegman R., Stanton B., Schor N., Geme J., & Behrman R. (2011). Part XVII Infectious diseases. Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae). Nelson Treaty of Pediatrics, 19th edition. Elsevier; 180, 1-4.
[15] Núñez L., Córdova J., & González J. (2017). Action protocol for epidemiological surveillance and medical conduct in suspected cases of diphtheria. Epidemiology Service of the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo, 1 - 31.
[16] Méndez H. (1986). Social stratification modified Graffar method. Venezuelan Archive of Childcare and Pediatrics, 49, 93-104.
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  • APA Style

    Elizabeth Castro. (2021). Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Science Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(4), 113-119. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16

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    ACS Style

    Elizabeth Castro. Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Sci. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(4), 113-119. doi: 10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16

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    AMA Style

    Elizabeth Castro. Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Sci J Clin Med. 2021;10(4):113-119. doi: 10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16,
      author = {Elizabeth Castro},
      title = {Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo},
      journal = {Science Journal of Clinical Medicine},
      volume = {10},
      number = {4},
      pages = {113-119},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjcm.20211004.16},
      abstract = {Diphtheria is a notifiable infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Objective: To establish the epidemiological characteristics in patients with diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective and field research. The sample was represented by patients older than 15 years admitted to the Internal Medicine service. Results: Between January 2018 and December 2018, 67 patients were included, the incidence was 25 cases per million inhabitants, 58,2% were female, aged between 15 - 65 years. 92,5% did not travel in the last month, 19,4% reported having had contact with diphtheria. Most of the cases came from the Maracaibo municipality in 46,3%. The predominant educational status was complete secondary with 59,7%. 86,6% do not know their vaccination history. The current occupation that prevailed was merchant in 34,3%, followed by housewife 23,9% and student 17,9%. The socioeconomic status by the Method of Graffar Méndez Castellano, the working class stratum IV predominated with 77,6%. The time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to hospitalization was 1-15 days. Tonsillitis-like respiratory form as a typical clinical presentation in all cases; fever, dysphagia, and presence of adherent pseudomembrane predominated in most patients. 22,4% presented complications. Most of the cases were confirmed clinically 77,6% while 4,5% were laboratory confirmed. The fatality rate was 19,4%. Conclusion: Diphtheria is a re-emerging disease in Venezuela in recent years, it affects any age and sex, in addition, it has been associated with low vaccination coverage and low socioeconomic status, so prevention and control is essential to eradicate the disease.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Epidemiological Characteristics in Patients with Diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo
    AU  - Elizabeth Castro
    Y1  - 2021/11/17
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjcm.20211004.16
    T2  - Science Journal of Clinical Medicine
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    JO  - Science Journal of Clinical Medicine
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    AB  - Diphtheria is a notifiable infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Objective: To establish the epidemiological characteristics in patients with diphtheria in the Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective and field research. The sample was represented by patients older than 15 years admitted to the Internal Medicine service. Results: Between January 2018 and December 2018, 67 patients were included, the incidence was 25 cases per million inhabitants, 58,2% were female, aged between 15 - 65 years. 92,5% did not travel in the last month, 19,4% reported having had contact with diphtheria. Most of the cases came from the Maracaibo municipality in 46,3%. The predominant educational status was complete secondary with 59,7%. 86,6% do not know their vaccination history. The current occupation that prevailed was merchant in 34,3%, followed by housewife 23,9% and student 17,9%. The socioeconomic status by the Method of Graffar Méndez Castellano, the working class stratum IV predominated with 77,6%. The time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to hospitalization was 1-15 days. Tonsillitis-like respiratory form as a typical clinical presentation in all cases; fever, dysphagia, and presence of adherent pseudomembrane predominated in most patients. 22,4% presented complications. Most of the cases were confirmed clinically 77,6% while 4,5% were laboratory confirmed. The fatality rate was 19,4%. Conclusion: Diphtheria is a re-emerging disease in Venezuela in recent years, it affects any age and sex, in addition, it has been associated with low vaccination coverage and low socioeconomic status, so prevention and control is essential to eradicate the disease.
    VL  - 10
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Faculty of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

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