Diphtheria - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2024
Surveillance and monitoring
In 2024, 151 cases of diphtheria were reported to ECDC: 83 cases due to toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and 65 cases due to Corynebacterium ulcerans.
- The increase in cases of diphtheria among migrants, reported in several EU/EEA countries during the second half of 2022, is continuing to decline.
- C. diphtheriae cases were reported among all age groups, with 74% of cases in males. C. ulcerans cases were more common in adults aged 65 years and above, with 58% of cases in males.
- Among the C. diphtheriae cases with importation status available, 21% were reported as imported (having been outside the country of notification during the incubation period, with no links to local transmission), and 57% of the imported cases presented with a cutaneous infection.
- Vaccination status was available for 43% of all cases. Sixty-two percent of the cases with known vaccination status were unvaccinated, or vaccinated with an unknown number of doses.
- Vaccination with the diphtheria toxoid vaccine is the only effective method for preventing this toxin-mediated disease. Achieving and sustaining high vaccination coverage in the population is critical to prevent toxigenic diphtheria from causing serious or fatal illness.
Publication file
Diphtheria - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2024
English (683 KB - PDF)
