Vaccination gaps and resurgence of diphtheria in Nigeria: An outbreak simmering for a catastrophe

Abstract

Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially fatal infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae and occasionally by C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis strains [1]. The bacterium primarily causes an acute respiratory infection, forming a firmly adherent throat pseudomembrane in the throat, pharynx, and tonsils, causing a swollen neck (“bull neck”). The pathogenesis of C. diphtheriae is based on its ability to produce diphtheria toxin that can cause extensive damage to the organs and may lead to death if untreated...