Advisory on Diphtheria
This is to alert health workers in Lagos State, particularly the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Medical Directors of General Hospitals, Medical Officers of Health (MoHs) of Primary Health Care Centers as well as other medical personnel of the need to have a high index of suspicion for diphtheria.
Diphtheria is a disease caused by an exotoxin produced by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Most commonly, toxigenic infection results in respiratory or cutaneous disease.
Diphtheria is transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets or contact with discharges from skin lesions.
It should be noted that since October 2022 till date, the State has recorded six suspected cases of diphtheria with one confirmed case and three deaths. The age of the cases ranges from 7-14 years.
For the prevention and or treatment of Diphtheria infection, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently gave the state a hundred (100) vials of Diphtheria Antitoxin stored at the Lagos State Biobank.
Health workers are advised to kindly notify the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers [DSNOs] in the Local Government Areas across the State in case of any suspected case of Diphtheria.
For detailed information on the disease, check the documents below:
Surveillance Case Definitions
SURVEILLANCE CASE DEFINITIONS FOR DIPHTHERIA
Protocol for Diphtheria Antitoxin.
PROTOCOL FOR DIPHTHERIA ANTITOXIN
For more information and clarification, contact HEFAMAA via 09015637023, 09057273396, 09038795500, 08172704228 and its social media platforms. You can also contact the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity & Global Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Ismail Abdus-Salam on 08093054359 and 08023169485.