Diphtheria is one of 11 infectious diseases that require vaccination.

The Ministry of Health has just issued Circular No. 10/2024/TT-BYT promulgating the list of infectious diseases, subjects and scope of mandatory use of vaccines and medical biological products.

According to this circular, the list of infectious diseases, subjects required to use vaccines and vaccination schedules in the Expanded Immunization Program includes 11 diseases, including diphtheria.

Illustration photo.

For diphtheria, the Ministry of Health stipulates that the combined vaccine containing diphtheria component: Inject once when the child is 2 months old; inject 2 times: At least 1 month after the 1st time; inject 3 times: At least 1 month after the 2nd time; and get a booster shot when the child is 18 months old. As for the combined vaccine containing reduced-dose diphtheria component: Get a booster shot when the child is 7 years old.

According to the Ministry of Health, diphtheria vaccination has been implemented in the Expanded Immunization Program in our country since 1985.

Currently, diphtheria-containing vaccines have been deployed in the program with 3 doses to create basic immunity for children under 1 year old and 1 booster dose when the child is 18-24 months old.

Currently, in the world, more than 100 countries have deployed at least 5 doses of diphtheria and tetanus vaccines for children. Thus, Vietnam will deploy 5 doses of diphtheria vaccines for children from 2 months old. This vaccination schedule is completely consistent with the recommendations of the WHO to create long-term immunity, as well as the vaccination schedule of countries around the world, ensuring the necessary basic level of immunity for children in Vietnam at important ages.

According to the WHO, additional vaccine doses should be based on the specific epidemiological situation of each country and an assessment of the risk of disease.

In Vietnam, according to the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, diphtheria is classified in Group B, which is a dangerous infectious disease that can spread quickly and can cause death. In fact, even when treated, the mortality rate of the disease is up to 5-10%.

Specialist Doctor I Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director of VNVC Vaccination System, said that diphtheria is an acute bacterial infection with pseudomembranes in the tonsils, pharynx, larynx, and nose caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This was one of the leading causes of death in the 19th century and early 20th century.

The disease has an incubation period of about 2-5 days. During this time, the patient has no symptoms. The disease is easily transmitted directly from the patient to the healthy person through the respiratory tract or indirectly through contact with toys or objects contaminated with the patient's secretions.

With initial symptoms such as laryngitis, swollen lymph nodes under the jaw, sore throat..., the disease can progress to pneumonia, neuritis, heart failure, conjunctivitis... causing death after 6-10 days. The mortality rate can be up to about 5-10% and up to 20% in children under 5 years old, adults over 40 years old when infected.

In Vietnam, before vaccination, diphtheria often occurred and caused epidemics in most localities, especially in areas with high population density. The disease appeared frequently in August, September, and October. After the vaccine was available, the incidence rate dropped to less than 0.01/100,000 people.

According to experts, the heart is the organ most susceptible to serious complications. About 30% of patients with severe diphtheria have complications such as myocarditis, arrhythmia, heart failure and death.

Next, diphtheria can cause neurological complications, which account for about 5% of all severe cases. The disease can damage both the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system.

People at high risk of death are often under 15 years old, over 40 years old, people with kidney and cardiovascular complications, people with poor health, immunodeficiency or patients with support devices in the body, for example, artificial heart valve replacement or ventricular shunt placement, intravenous catheter placement.

To prevent the disease, the Department of Preventive Medicine recommends that people should take their children to get vaccinated according to the schedule of vaccines containing diphtheria (DPT-VGB-Hib, DPT...) fully and on schedule, to ensure immunity against the disease for children of vaccination age. In case of delay in vaccination, take your child to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

People in epidemic areas need to strictly follow the instructions and recommendations of health authorities to take preventive medication and get vaccinated.

In case of close contact, self-monitor your health. If you have any suspected symptoms of illness, immediately notify medical staff.

People need to receive information from mainstream media, not panic, and not arbitrarily vaccinate with diphtheria-containing vaccines without specific instructions and recommendations from health authorities in epidemic areas and according to the instructions of each type of vaccine containing diphtheria.

In case of necessity, people should contact the nearest medical facilities for advice on disease prevention measures, ensuring vaccination of the right subjects, at the right dose and at the right time, as well as safety and effective disease prevention.

It is known that the list of infectious diseases, subjects required to use vaccines and vaccination schedules in the Expanded Immunization Program includes 11 diseases: Hepatitis B virus, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (the main cause of disease in children under 5 years old, including: pneumonia, meningitis...), measles, Japanese encephalitis B, rubella, diarrhea caused by Rota virus.

If mandatory vaccines are not vaccinated on schedule or not fully vaccinated, they should be vaccinated as soon as possible, but must be suitable for the subject according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the manufacturer.

The vaccines against the 11 infectious diseases mentioned above have a specific vaccination schedule for children from birth to 7 years old. Tetanus vaccine is also indicated for pregnant women (in which, for those who have not been vaccinated, have not been vaccinated with 3 doses of vaccines containing tetanus components, or have an unknown vaccination history, they need to be vaccinated with 5 doses before, during pregnancy and in the next pregnancy), according to the instructions of medical staff.

Vaccines on this list are deployed nationwide for children and pregnant women in the Expanded Immunization Program. The Expanded Immunization Program is organized by the State and provides free vaccinations for mandatory vaccines used to prevent infectious diseases for children and pregnant women.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/bach-hau-la-1-trong-so-11-benh-truyen-nhiem-buoc-phai-tiem-vac-xin-d219997.html