Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37344769›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2023

Surveillance of diphtheria in the Netherlands between 2000-2021: cutaneous diphtheria supersedes the respiratory form.

Jelte Elsinga, Dimphey van Meijeren, Frans Reubsaet

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jelte ElsingaCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie Van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. j.elsinga.research@gmail.com.
Dimphey van MeijerenCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie Van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
Frans ReubsaetCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie Van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment · NLAmsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiphtheria is a severe respiratory or cutaneous infectious disease, caused by exotoxin producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae, C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis. Diphtheria is once again prevalent due to breakdown of immunisation programmes, social disruption and unrest.

aimThis study describes the notified diphtheria cases in the Netherlands between 2000-2021 and isolates that were sent to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

methodsFile investigation was performed including all notified cases and isolates of C. diphtheriae, C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis that were tested for toxin production using a toxin-PCR and Elek test. An exploratory review was performed to understand transmission in populations with a high vaccination uptake.

resultsEighteen diphtheria notifications were made with confirmed toxigenic C. diphtheriae (n = 9) or ulcerans (n = 9) between 2000 and 2021. Seventeen (94.4%) presented with a cutaneous infection. All cases with a suspected source abroad (n = 8) concerned infection with C. diphtheriae. In contrast, 9/10 cases infected in the Netherlands were caused by C. ulcerans, a zoonosis. Secondary transmission was not reported. Isolates of C. ulcerans sent to the RIVM produced more often the diphtheria exotoxin (11/31; 35%) than C. diphtheriae (7/89; 7.9%).

conclusionBoth human-to-human transmission of C. diphtheriae and animal-to-human transmission of C. ulcerans rarely occurs in the Netherlands. Cases mainly present with a cutaneous infection. Travel-related cases remain a risk for transmission to populations with low vaccination coverage, highlighting the importance of immunization and diphtheria control measures.

Indexed as

Corynebacterium diphtheriaeDiphtheriaAnimalsCorynebacteriumExotoxinsHumansNetherlandsTravelTravel-Related IllnessExotoxinsDiphtheriaDiphtheriae exotoxinEpidemiologyHuman-to-human transmissionLaboratory surveillanceVaccination coverage

Identifiers

PMID37344769
PMCPMC10283224
OpenAlexW4381598277

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.