@article{fdi:010095300,
  title = {{R}e-emergence of diphtheria in {G}uinea : an outbreak analysis of vaccination and disease control perspectives},
  author = {{K}eita, {A}. {K}. and {S}oumah, {A}. {K}. and {G}nimadi, {T}. {A}. {C}. and {K}ande, {A}. and {K}adio, {K}jjo and {D}iallo, {H}. and {C}isse, {M}. and {K}oivogui, {J}. {B}. and {K}aba, {D}. and {B}angoura, {S}. {T}. and {T}oure, {A}. and {F}enollar, {F}. and {M}ediannikov, {O}leg and {K}eita, {A}. {K}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground. {T}his study presented the key characteristics of patients who tested positive for diphtheria during the outbreak in the {R}epublic of {G}uinea in 2023 and assessed the influence of some risk factors on disease development. {M}ethods. {T}he clinical diagnosis of diphtheria was confirmed by detecting diphtheria toxin genes in nasopharyngeal samples collected from suspected patients via 2 reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction tests. {B}ivariate analyses with the chi(2) test and the {F}isher's exact test were conducted to explore possible associations between diphtheria positivity and various sociodemographic, clinical, and exposure factors. {R}esults. {I}n total, 444 samples obtained from suspected cases were analyzed. {I}n 90 (20.3%) cases, the condition was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, with an overall fatality rate of 8.9% (n = 8). {O}n average, deaths occurred 2 days after admission, with 6 (75.0%) of 8 (6 girls and 2 boys) deaths recorded within the first 3 months after the epidemic onset. {T}he clinical characteristics included sore throat (91%), fever (90%), whitish throat membrane (83%), throat redness (81%), and dyspnea (28%). {T}he risk factors were age <15 years, no prior vaccination, and contact with a patient with diphtheria. {A} whitish throat membrane and dyspnea were significantly associated with diphtheria positivity. {C}onclusions. {T}his study emphasized that diphtheria remains a major and potentially fatal disease, despite vaccination and early symptom recognition. {T}he identification of characteristic signs-particularly a whitish throat membrane and dyspnea-is important for reducing disease severity and mortality.},
  keywords = {epidemic surveillance in {G}uinea ; re-emergence of diphtheria ; vaccine-preventable disease ; {GUINEE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{O}pen {F}orum {I}nfectious {D}iseases},
  volume = {12},
  numero = {9},
  pages = {ofaf527 [7 ]},
  ISSN = {2328-8957},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1093/ofid/ofaf527},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095300},
}