DIPTHERIA cases have surged in Britain because of small boat crossings, scientists have warned.
Researchers have said outbreaks seen across the UK over the past year have been “mostly linked to incoming migrants” from Afghanistan.
Getty – ContributorDiphtheria cases have surged in the UK because of small boat crossings[/caption]
Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection which can be fatal, is rare in the UK because babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against it since the 1940s.
But people who are unvaccinated are highly susceptible to the bug, which can cause nasty ulcers on the skin, breathing difficulties and heart damage if not treated with antibiotics.
The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases report for England uses figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and is based on genomic testing of hundreds of cases across 10 countries in Europe, including 59 in England.
It highlights how 73 cases of the disease were recorded in England in 2022 overall – up from 12 cases the previous year – and one further case was recorded in 2023.
Most of the patients (97 per cent) were “young Afghan males” aged under 18 with “unknown vaccination history”.
The UKHSA notes that this group may be “over-represented” due to “greater clinical awareness and case ascertainment” among the demographic.
Around half of those infected (51 per cent) presented with skin problems caused by the disease, which can include blisters on the legs, feet and hands, and large ulcers.
Some 12 per cent had no symptoms, and the disease in these cases was picked up through screening or contact tracing.
The authors said: “Linked to an increase in migrant arrivals via small boat in the summer of 2022, the UK experienced a sharp increase in diphtheria cases caused by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae last year.”
Speaking about data for Europe as a whole, they said there had been “evident transmission among migrant people” which they believed had occurred “during travel within migrant facilities”.
The 7 symptoms of diphtheria you need to know
Symptoms of the illness usually start two to five days after you become infected.
The NHS says the key signs include:
a thick grey-white coating that may cover the back of your throat, nose and tongue
a high temperature (fever)
sore throat
swollen glands in your neck
difficulty breathing and swallowing
pus-filled blisters on your legs, feet and hands
large ulcers surrounded by red, sore looking skin
Since 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a rise in cases in places such as Indonesia, India, South American and Africa.
It’s spread by coughs and sneezes or through close contact with someone who is infected.
You can, however, also get it from sharing items such as cups, clothing or bedding with an infected person
They added that “a lack of proper vaccination among the migrant people” was the reason for the outbreaks.
To avoid future diphtheria outbreaks, the researchers recommended “increased awareness among physicians who provide care to migrants”, “thorough vaccination protocols” and “timely screening of at-risk individuals”.
They said: “Further monitoring of this situation using molecular typing and genomic approaches will be key to define the source and routes of this resurgence.”
The ESCMID said the report has been peer-reviewed, but it has not yet been submitted to a medical journal for publication.
The data was published at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.