Unvaccinated Child in Germany Dies After Rare Diphtheria Infection

The 10-year-old boy succumbed to respiratory diphtheria after months of intensive treatment, highlighting the critical role of vaccination in preventing severe disease.

• A 10-year-old boy from Brandenburg, Germany, who was not vaccinated against diphtheria, has died after battling the disease for months in intensive care.
• The child was initially hospitalized in September with severe throat inflammation and later diagnosed with respiratory diphtheria caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria.
• Diphtheria-related deaths are extremely rare in Germany due to high vaccination rates, with only a handful of cases reported annually, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
• Health officials emphasized the importance of vaccination, as the diphtheria vaccine reliably prevents severe symptoms but does not entirely block infection.
• The boy's school, a Waldorf institution in Berlin, informed parents of his death and noted the emotional impact on their community, while refraining from public comment out of respect for the family.

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