East Java regency on alert over diphtheria outbreak
The Jakarta Post | Tue, 02/16/2010 10:55 AM
The local health agency in Bangkalan regency, East Java, is closely monitoring three districts following a recent outbreak of diphtheria in the area that has killed at least two children.
The special monitoring has been implemented in Burneh, Blega and Tanah Merah districts.
Fahrur Rozi, head of the agency, told tempointeraktif.com that two boys, both from Blega district, were found to have diphtheria only after they were treated at a hospital in the province's capital of Surabaya earlier this month.
Less than a week after the deaths, two elementary school and a junior high school students in Burneh and Tanah Merah were also found to have the disease.
“They were treated at Dr Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya and are recovering,” Fahrur said.
Fahrur said a similar outbreak occurred in Kamal district last year and the infection was successfully contained.
Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The most common sites of infection are the tonsils and the pharynx, and a higher percentage of carriers are found among children below 15 years of age.
The most frequent complications of diphtheria are myocarditis, which can lead to heart failure, and pneumonia, which can lead to respiratory failure.
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