Berlin
Diphtheria was considered to be defeated – now a ten -year -old dies from it
Diphtherie in Germany was considered almost eradicated for 20 years. Now a school child from Berlin has died of the disease – apparently it was not vaccinated.
A school child in Berlin is ill from the life -threatening, avoidable infectious disease diphtheria. The Berlin Senate Department for Health confirmed a case in a community facility, citing the Spandau health department. At first the “Märkische General” had reported; Accordingly, it should be a ten -year -old student of a Waldorf school. The school initially did not publicly comment on the death of the student.
The child had initially been treated in a hospital in Brandenburg for acute inflammation of the throat almonds, as the Hovelland district announced. The hospital reported a suspicion of respiratory diphtheria in an unvaccinated child on September 27. The suspicion was confirmed by laboratory tests.
Due to the state of health, the child was transferred to a Berlin clinic, as the district further explained. It will be ventilated there in an invasive manner. According to the “Bild” newspaper, the child is treated at the Charité. On request, the Charité referred to medical confidentiality.
Family and class treated for diphtheria
Diphtheria is a highly contagious, bacterial infectious disease. According to the district, the health department initiated “Investigations and measures to protect close contact persons in the private and school environment”. These included laboratory tests and antibiotic treatment in the affected class association and in the family.
Diseases that you don’t have to have
Belt rose
You feel struck, a dull pain answers on the left in your chest, it radiates slowly and threatens to smash it. A few days later, red spots bloom on her chest, which group into a ribbon or belt. At the latest now it is clear: you have a shingle rose, also called herpes zoster. The Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) is to blame for this painful illness. If you put the first one, get chickenpox. This usually happens in childhood. After that, they are protected from chickenpox for a lifetime, but the pathogens remain in the body and, for example, can trigger nerve inflammation – just the notorious belt rose. The probability of a disease increases from the age of 50. The possible complications are serious: for example, if bacteria settle on the injured skin, they threaten a so -called super infection: the area also ignites, scarred it, and their skin can even turn permanently. Once the zoster bubbles have formed on their forehead or scalp, the pathogen can temporarily paralyze their facial nerves. If the virus crawled into the cells of their eye nerves, it may destroy the binding and cornea. Under certain circumstances you can blind. About every seventh who has survived a belt rose, a so -called postherpetic neuralgia, severe nerve pain develops, which lasts for months than the belt rose itself. Fortunately, you can be vaccinated against it.
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Further
Diseased people can have wounds on the skin in the case of skin diphtheria or, in the event of a rag diphtheria, an inflamed nasal throat. According to Robert Koch Institute (RKI), symptoms of a rag diphtheria include sore throats, fever, whistling noises when inhaling, swelling of the neck lymph nodes, later almond inflammation can occur. The disease can be fatal.
Vaccinations lowered number of cases rapidly
The diphtheria was once known as the “choke angel of the children”. In 1892, the infection in Germany succumbed to more than 50,000 mostly young people. Vaccination was introduced in 1913, which significantly dropped the number of infections. For 20 years, the disease in Germany was almost almost exterminated.
According to the RKI, there were 37 confirmed cases in Germany this year, 2 of them in Berlin. Since the introduction of the 2001 Infection Protection Act, the number of cases for Germany has been in the one or double-digit range annually. Only 2022 and 2023 were registered more than 100 cases.
Vaccination against Diphtherie is one of the standard vaccinations for infants and children recommended by the constant vaccination commission (STIKO) and is also recommended as a refreshing vaccination for adults every ten years.
Dpa
tkr
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
