Europe suffers its largest diphtheria outbreak in 70 years
Paris: The largest
diphtheria outbreak
to strike Western Europe in 70 years has been affecting vulnerable people such as migrants and the homeless since 2022, new research said Wednesday.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can attack the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body, causing a sore throat, fever and other symptoms.
For unvaccinated people, it can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, and is deadlier for children, according to the World Health Organization.
In 2022, there was an unusual surge in the bacteria that causes diphtheria --
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
-- in several European countries, particularly among recently arrived migrants, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
That year 362 cases were recorded by the
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
.
Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, but rare infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers said.
A total of 536 cases, including three deaths, have been recorded across Europe since the start of 2022.
Patient samples from 10 countries showed that 98 percent of the cases were in males with an average age of 18. Almost all had recently migrated.
"The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries," said a joint statement from France's public health agency and the Pasteur Institute.
The genetic similarities between the strains seen in people from different countries suggests that there was a "recent point of contact, outside the country of origin" at the source of the outbreak, the statement added.
The exact areas affected by the outbreak remains unclear.
But a genetic link between the 2022 strain and the one detected in Germany this year indicates that "the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe," the statement said.
Vaccination is very effective at fending off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the importance of immunisation programmes for the general public.
They also called for European nations to do more to ensure their most vulnerable people avoid contracting the disease.
That included raising awareness of the symptoms among doctors and those in contact with migrants and the homeless, as well as increasing access to vaccines and antibiotic drugs.
ic-dl/giv
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
What is RSV and why are infants especially at risk in India?
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, commonly known as RSV, is the leading cause of respiratory illness in children and infants worldwide. In India, RSV has also become a major issue for parents as well as pediatricians, particularly in the post-monsoon and winter seasons when cases surge. Although the nation continues to establish complete surveillance information, existing studies in tertiary care facilities show that RSV contributes 30% to 50% of bronchiolitis and pneumonia incidents in children aged two years and below. RSV is usually responsible for the symptoms of a cold in older children and adults. Nevertheless, in infants—especially those under six months of age, those who were premature at birth, or those with underlying health issues—the virus may cause severe lower respiratory tract infections, including bronchiolitis (inflammation of small airways) and pneumonia. These two diseases usually require hospitalization, and hospitalization rates between 3 and 5 per 100 infants less than one year of age per year have been estimated in India. The risks are not equal throughout the nation. Geographic and socioeconomic variations account for both the risk of and outcome of RSV infection. Children living in lower-income populations or in densely populated urban environments can have increased exposure from lesser access to healthcare, suboptimal ventilation, and slower diagnosis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eat 1 Teaspoon Every Night, See What Happens A Week Later [Video] getfittoday Undo Seeing the international burden of RSV, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently supported maternal RSV vaccination as a prevention approach. This entails immunizing pregnant women so that antibodies are passed on to the unborn child, providing immunity in the vulnerable early months of life. Although not yet included in India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), Indian health authorities, such as the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, are in the process of evaluating the vaccine's safety, effectiveness, and affordability in India. Phased introduction in high-risk groups could be the initial step. Apart from vaccines, monoclonal antibodies too have been promising in the prevention of RSV-related complications. These provide passive immunity in a single dose of injection. But the big constraint is cost. Without government incentives or being covered under public health schemes, these therapies could prove to be out of reach for the majority of Indian families. Differential pricing models and collaborations with insurance companies will become paramount in order to expand access. More encouragingly, Indian drug makers are not idle either. Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India have initiated RSV research programs and are likely to bank on their experience in the production of pediatric and maternal vaccines. Tie-ups with global firms can also open the way for local production of monoclonal antibodies, leading to costs savings as well as wider availability. Experts put wide availability of RSV vaccines and antibodies in India at least 2 to 4 years down the road. Early access could start in corporate or private hospitals dealing with high-risk pregnancies. In the private sector, however, the incorporation of RSV prevention in the national immunization program will be crucial to making RSV vaccines and antibodies accessible and beneficial for all Indian infants—irrespective of birthplace. Article courtesy: Dr. Shreya Dubey - Consultant - Neonatology & Paediatrics, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram Russia's Lavrov Sounds Alarm Over German Army Buildup Plan; 'Very Worrying, Need To…' One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Can your daily cup of tea hurt your kidneys? What science says (and a rare fatal case)
Most of us can't start the day without a steaming cup of chai. That cozy blend of black tea, milk, and spices? Pure magic. Whether it's a mid-day pick-me-up or the first thing you sip before scrolling through the news, tea is more than just a drink—it's a ritual. But what if your beloved chai or green tea is sneakily messing with your kidneys? Yep, turns out your daily cuppa could be doing more than warming your soul—it might be putting some strain on your kidneys, especially if you're going overboard or have other risk factors. So, what's the issue? It's all about oxalates—naturally occurring compounds found in many plant-based foods, including tea. When you consume too many oxalates, your body might not be able to flush them out properly. These oxalates can bind with calcium in your urine and form kidney stones. Ouch. Black tea, in particular, is pretty high in oxalates. Some studies have shown that drinking very large amounts—like 6-8 cups a day—can raise your risk of kidney stone formation. Green tea and herbal teas usually have fewer oxalates, but that doesn't mean you should chug them like water either. Iced tea neuropathy killed man: A rare case in 2015 In one extreme case in the U.S., a man reportedly developed kidney failur e after drinking 16 cups of iced tea a day. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo That's an outlier, sure, but it does raise eyebrows. The puzzling case of the 56-year-old U.S. man who suddenly developed weakness, fatigue and body aches in 2015 was termed as iced-tea nephropathy by the New England Journal of Medicine, which published a letter describing the case. The man reported that he was drinking 16 nine-ounce glasses of iced tea each day, giving him more than 1,500 milligrams of oxalate per day. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises consuming no more than 40-50 mg of oxalate per day, the authors note. Do you consume Indian tea? Traditional masala chai uses black tea as a base—so yes, it does contain oxalates. But there's more to it. We usually boil the tea leaves with milk, and milk contains calcium. Ironically, the calcium in milk can actually bind to oxalates in your gut before they enter your bloodstream—preventing them from reaching your kidneys. So, chai with milk might be slightly less risky than straight black tea. Score one for team masala! Still, if you're someone prone to kidney stones or have a family history, moderation is your best friend. Stick to 2–3 cups a day and you're probably fine. Green tea: Better or worse? Green tea contains less oxalate than black tea, and it's often hyped for its antioxidant benefits. But even green tea isn't totally off the hook. Overconsumption—especially in concentrated extract form like in weight-loss supplements—has been linked to kidney and liver issues. Again, it all comes down to balance. Are there other hidden tea risks for kidneys? Yup. Many packaged teas (especially instant varieties or sugary tea lattes) contain phosphorus additives or high sodium, both of which can be harmful to people with existing kidney problems. People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often told to limit foods with high potassium and phosphorus. So if you're sipping on overly processed tea blends with tons of sweeteners or flavorings, your kidneys might not love it. Okay, so what's the bottom line? Your daily chai or green tea isn't evil. In fact, moderate tea consumption has been linked to several health benefits—from better focus to lower cholesterol. But like all good things in life, too much of it can backfire. If you: Have had kidney stones before, Have CKD or are at risk for it, Are drinking more than 5–6 cups a day, …you might want to rethink your tea habit. Or at least switch up the type of tea you drink (hello, herbal blends!) and drink plenty of water throughout the day to help flush out excess oxalates. Your kidneys do a ton of behind-the-scenes work to keep you healthy. A couple of cups of tea a day probably won't hurt them—but drowning in tea without checking the fine print might. So go ahead and enjoy your chai break—just don't forget to hydrate, listen to your body, and maybe skip that sixth refill. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Science in action: Khet se thali tak – surakshit bhojan, har kadam
'yuktahara-viharasya yukta-chestasya karmasu yuktasvapnavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha' Bhagavad Gita One who is regulated in eating, recreation, action, sleep and wakefulness, can mitigate all sorrows by practicing yoga. 'Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food' – Hippocrates As we commemorate World Food Safety Day 2025, with the theme given by the World Health Organization this year – 'Food Safety: Science in Action,' it is a moment to reflect on the bedrock principle that underpins global food systems: science-based standards. From the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to the US FDA, and the Food Safety Commission of Japan to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the commitment to empirical evidence and rigorous scientific inquiry is the universal hallmark of ensuring food safety. Science, it can be undoubtedly said, is the very soul of food safety. Food safety is not a matter of theory or tradition; it is a discipline rooted in facts, research, and continuous innovation. The global landscape of food safety is constantly evolving, driven by new scientific discoveries, emerging foodborne hazards, and advancements in food production. This year, the World Health Organisation has given an opportunity to acknowledge how science, technology, and innovation are shaping a new era of food safety globally. Science is involved in every step of food safety, beginning with the setting of standards. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has a Scientific Committee and 21 Scientific Panels that are its principal scientific arms in the standards development process. The authority has empanelled 286 scientific experts from 88 different scientific organisations and various institutes working in the area of food safety and nutrition. Till date, standards for 1,349 food products, 300 additives and 300 processing aids have been notified. The last decade has witnessed transformative advancements in India's food safety landscape, all powered by scientific innovation. We have embraced cutting-edge technologies like food irradiation, a process proven to enhance food safety and extend shelf-life by eliminating harmful pathogens and pests. The development of high-yielding food products and the pioneering efforts in biofortification are further testaments to our scientific prowess, addressing both food security and nutritional deficiencies. A landmark moment in this journey was the release 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August, 2024, at the India Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Out of 109 varieties, 23 varieties were released as biofortified crops (rich in zinc, iron, protein etc). Addressing an eminent gathering of food regulators and experts from around the world at the Global Food Regulators Summit held in September 2024, Hon'ble Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri JP Nadda underlined the growing importance of food regulators at a time when world is faced with challenges like foodborne illnesses, nutraceutical safety, novel foods, and micro plastics, all the while striving for sustainability. He had also emphasized the need for continuous collaboration, relentless innovation, and a commitment to constant improvement in the food safety systems. India's promotion of millets as 'Nutri-cereals' has gained global recognition. Being the largest producers of millets in the World (17.3 million tons in 2022-23), India developed standards for 13 varieties of millets which were well appreciated and acknowledged by Codex-Alimantarious Commission (represents FAO and WHO) in December 2023. Our efforts have not only revitalized these traditional grains domestically but have also spotlighted their nutritional value on the world stage. Food safety is not a matter of choice; it is a foundational element of public health. Every year, an estimated 600 million people—nearly one in every ten—fall ill from consuming contaminated food, and around 420,000 of them die, as per WHO. Children under the age of five bear a disproportionate burden of these stark figures, accounting for 40% of foodborne diseases and approximately 125,000 deaths annually. In today's complex and globally interlinked food systems, ensuring food safety at every stage—from farm to fork—is paramount. This requires the combined power of science-based risk assessments and standards, rapid detection tools, and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), digitization, and smart packaging. These innovations are no longer futuristic ideas; they are already driving real-time decisions and transformative practices on the ground, globally. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative tool in addressing the multifaceted challenges of food safety, food quality, and food security. AI enhances food safety through real-time contamination detection, predictive risk modelling, and compliance monitoring, reducing public health risks. It improves food quality by automating defect detection, optimizing shelf-life predictions, and ensuring consistency in taste, texture, and appearance. In addition, AI addresses food security by enabling resource-efficient agriculture, yield forecasting, and supply chain optimization to ensure the availability and accessibility of nutritious food resources. The integration of AI with advanced food processing techniques—such as high-pressure processing, ultraviolet treatment, pulsed electric fields, cold plasma, and irradiation—ensures microbial safety, extends shelf life, and enhances product quality. Furthermore, the convergence of AI with emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI-powered sensors enables proactive risk management, predictive analytics, and automated quality control throughout the food supply chain. New technology is also being encouraged to find alternatives to plastic in food packaging, to reduce the dependence on plastics. In recent years, significant innovations and trends have emerged in the field of food product testing, transforming the way food is produced, processed, and consumed. These advancements have improved the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of food safety measures, enabling early detection of foodborne illnesses and preventing widespread outbreaks. As global population rise, food product testing has become increasingly crucial in detecting contaminants, preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring regulatory compliance. The global food safety testing market is fast growing valuing at US$ 21.24 billion in 2024 and expected to reach US$ 44.76 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 8.63% during the forecast period 2025–2033. To enhance food safety testing systems, various countries are implementing emerging technologies as these are increasingly augmenting the capabilities of traditional food safety systems. Traditional techniques have become unsuitable for direct application in the premises of food businesses as they are relatively expensive, time-consuming and labour intensive, impeding their use as point-of-need tests or rapid tests. In addition, accessibility to such high-end analytical techniques is limited. Emerging techniques like Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) combined with powerful bioinformatic approaches are revolutionising food microbiology. It has transformed from being solely a research tool to becoming routinely applied in many fields including diagnostics, outbreak investigations, antimicrobial resistance, forensics and food. The technology is developing at a rapid pace, with continuous improvement in quality and cost reduction and is having a major influence on food microbiology. Smart bio-systems has also introduced a revolutionary approach to food quality monitoring. Advanced biosensors, biopolymers and digital technologies has created intelligent solutions capable of real-time, on-site detection of food quality parameters, monitoring a wide range of factors like microbial contamination, chemical residues, nutrient levels, and freshness indicators. In India, there is a high demand for cost-effective and robust analytical devices/kits for food safety monitoring in remote areas in order to create effective prevention and control strategies. Thus, India is encouraging the use of rapid food testing kits/equipment/methods benefitting the food industry and surveillance activities in the country. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has established a mechanism for approval of rapid food testing kits/equipment/methods. Countries like India, the USA, and Japan use advanced labelling technologies to enhance food safety, but their approaches differ in scale and sophistication. India is expanding the use of QR codes, mobile apps, and starting to explore blockchain and smart packaging. The USA has advanced systems with widespread use of QR codes, RFID, blockchain, and smart labels, backed by strong regulatory enforcement and high consumer demand for traceability. Japan leads in high-tech integration, using blockchain, smart packaging, and detailed traceability systems in everyday retail, with strong consumer engagement and consistent implementation. Integration of smart technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) into food packaging is not only improving food safety but also plays a crucial role in reducing food waste, a major global issue. Techniques like Smart Packaging Technologies (Use of embedded sensors, time-temperature indicators (TTIs), and color-changing labels to monitor spoilage, temperature abuse, and packaging integrity), Anti-Counterfeit measures to ensure authenticity, Machine learning for Predictive Shelf Life & Material Optimization, Robotics for accurate sealing, filling, and defect detection are significantly used. India is progressively trying to advance towards technology-driven and consumer-centric regulatory frameworks to enhance food safety standards by integrating digital tools, such as QR codes and blockchain, for improved traceability and transparency across the food supply chain despite the economic and social challenges. FSSAI is actively promoting the use of smart labelling, mobile applications, and real-time monitoring systems to empower consumers with accurate information and enable quicker identification of food safety issues. India is investing in modernizing laboratory infrastructure and adopting advanced testing technologies to ensure compliance with both domestic and international standards. These efforts reflect a growing emphasis on leveraging technology and prioritizing consumer awareness to build trust and ensure the safety and quality of food products nationwide. Providing healthy and nutritionally rich food in sufficient quantities is a major United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to end hunger by 2030. Bio fortification addresses the challenge of Micronutrient Deficiencies ('Hidden Hunger) by increasing the nutrient density of staple crops that form the basis of these diets, thereby improving nutritional status without requiring significant changes in dietary habits or food availability. This World Food Safety Day, let us commit to harnessing the full power of 'Science in Action' to safeguard the health and well-being of every citizen, ensuring that food truly serves as our medicine, building a robust, resilient, and safe food system for generations to come. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
