Four laboratory-confirmed adult cases of diphtheria, caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, have recently been identified in the Cape Metropole district in the Western Cape. These cases are a reminder that a reduction in vaccine coverage may lead to more cases and that C. diphtheriae may be circulating in the community undetected. Despite fewer than 600 diphtheria cases reported in South Africa since 1980, this represents a public health concern given the potential severity and communicability of the disease.
Diphtheria