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The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Urgent summer holiday warning as cases of highly contagious ‘bull-neck' infection spread rapidly across Europe
HEALTH officials have issued a warning over a highly contagious bacterial infection spreading through Europe that strikes victims with a telltale "bull neck". A total of 234 diphtheria cases have been reported in European countries since January 2023, according to the 1 Diphtheria is a contagious and serious infection that can turn fatal if not treated Credit: Getty Diphtheria can be a serious illness that sometimes turns fatal, especially in children, if it's not treated quickly. It causes a thick grey-white coating at the back of the throat, nose and tongue, and fever. More severe cases can lead to a characteristic swollen neck and throat, or "bull neck." This can make it hard for the person to breathe properly. If the disease affects the skin, it can cause pus-filled blisters on the legs, feet and hands, as well as large ulcers surrounded by red, sore-looking skin. Diphtheria is thought to be rare in Europe and the UK, with cases falling steadily since the 1950s after the introduction of vaccines. Between 2009 and 2020, an average of 21 cases were reported each year in Europe. But "a marked shift occurred in 2022", as 320 cases - two of them probable - were detected in European countries, the ECDC "Similar trends " were also reported in the UK, according to the health watchdog. Most read in Health "Ten European countries were affected by this outbreak, with Germany, The outbreak was "mainly linked to groups of migrants who had recently arrived in Europe" and been exposed to diphtheria on their journey, it added. What is Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus) Disease- Since then, the number of diphtheria cases in Europe has "consistently declined", but the ECDC warned that infections were still being reported - especially among vulnerable people. A total of 165 cases were flagged to the ECDC in 2023, 56 in 2024 and 13 so far into 2025. "Published data and recent personal communications indicate that after the 2022 outbreak, Corynebacterium diphtheriae continued to circulate in at least five EU/EEA countries and in Switzerland," the health watchdog said. "A significant proportion of these cases has been among people more vulnerable to diphtheria," it added. These include people experiencing homelessness, people living, working or volunteering in transitional housing centres, migrants, and those who use and inject drugs. Bruno Ciancio, head of ECDC's unit for directly-transmitted and vaccine-preventable diseases, said: "The fact that we see diphtheria infections acquired by vulnerable populations in the EU/EEA indicates ongoing unnoticed transmission in the community. "This is a cause for concern, and calls for more intense efforts to address barriers to vaccination among these vulnerable groups. "Effective vaccination programmes have helped to almost eliminate diphtheria, but this also means that healthcare workers may be less likely to recognise the symptoms. "Increasing awareness of symptoms, quick diagnosis and prompt public health action are essential." Diphtheria symptoms Symptoms usually start two to five days after becoming infected. Symptoms of diphtheria include: A thick grey-white coating that may cover the back of your throat, nose and tongue A high temperature Sore throat Swollen glands in your neck Difficulty breathing and swallowing In countries with poor hygiene, infection of the skin (cutaneous diphtheria) is more common. If it's cutaneous diphtheria, it can cause: Pus-filled blisters on your legs, feet and hands Large ulcers surrounded by red, sore-looking skin You should get urgent medical help if you have the above symptoms. Source: NHS The ECDC noted the risk of catching diphtheria remained low for the general population, thanks to high vaccination coverage in most European countries. But for vulnerable people, it upped the risk to moderate. "There could be sporadic cases among groups more vulnerable to infection and pockets of unvaccinated individuals," the health watchdog said. It added that Germany in particular had "reported an increase in diphtheria cases with respiratory presentation, raising concerns about more severe clinical manifestations, and possibly wider community spread". In places with high vaccines coverage, most diphtheria infections don't cause symptoms or are mild. But respiratory diphtheria - when the infections affects the nose and throat - can kill up to 10 per cent of its victims, the ECDC said. Diphtheria is mostly spread by coughs, sneezing or close contact. You can, however, also get it from sharing items such as cups, clothing or bedding with an infected person. In the UK, babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against diphtheria since the 1940s. Read more on the Irish Sun A case of the highly contagious disease was spotted in a UK primary school in 2023. In 2022, 87 people in England were infected with the disease. This fell to 27 in 2023.
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Urgent summer holiday warning as cases of highly contagious ‘bull-neck' infection spread rapidly across Europe
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HEALTH officials have issued a warning over a highly contagious bacterial infection spreading through Europe that strikes victims with a telltale "bull neck". A total of 234 diphtheria cases have been reported in European countries since January 2023, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Diphtheria is a contagious and serious infection that can turn fatal if not treated Credit: Getty Diphtheria can be a serious illness that sometimes turns fatal, especially in children, if it's not treated quickly. It causes a thick grey-white coating at the back of the throat, nose and tongue, and fever. More severe cases can lead to a characteristic swollen neck and throat, or "bull neck." This can make it hard for the person to breathe properly. If the disease affects the skin, it can cause pus-filled blisters on the legs, feet and hands, as well as large ulcers surrounded by red, sore-looking skin. Diphtheria is thought to be rare in Europe and the UK, with cases falling steadily since the 1950s after the introduction of vaccines. Between 2009 and 2020, an average of 21 cases were reported each year in Europe. But "a marked shift occurred in 2022", as 320 cases - two of them probable - were detected in European countries, the ECDC wrote in recent report. "Similar trends" were also reported in the UK, according to the health watchdog. "Ten European countries were affected by this outbreak, with Germany, Austria, the UK, Switzerland and France reporting the highest case numbers," the ECDC said. The outbreak was "mainly linked to groups of migrants who had recently arrived in Europe" and been exposed to diphtheria on their journey, it added. What is Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus) Disease- Since then, the number of diphtheria cases in Europe has "consistently declined", but the ECDC warned that infections were still being reported - especially among vulnerable people. A total of 165 cases were flagged to the ECDC in 2023, 56 in 2024 and 13 so far into 2025. "Published data and recent personal communications indicate that after the 2022 outbreak, Corynebacterium diphtheriae continued to circulate in at least five EU/EEA countries and in Switzerland," the health watchdog said. "A significant proportion of these cases has been among people more vulnerable to diphtheria," it added. These include people experiencing homelessness, people living, working or volunteering in transitional housing centres, migrants, and those who use and inject drugs. Bruno Ciancio, head of ECDC's unit for directly-transmitted and vaccine-preventable diseases, said: "The fact that we see diphtheria infections acquired by vulnerable populations in the EU/EEA indicates ongoing unnoticed transmission in the community. "This is a cause for concern, and calls for more intense efforts to address barriers to vaccination among these vulnerable groups. "Effective vaccination programmes have helped to almost eliminate diphtheria, but this also means that healthcare workers may be less likely to recognise the symptoms. "Increasing awareness of symptoms, quick diagnosis and prompt public health action are essential." Diphtheria symptoms Symptoms usually start two to five days after becoming infected. Symptoms of diphtheria include: A thick grey-white coating that may cover the back of your throat, nose and tongue A high temperature Sore throat Swollen glands in your neck Difficulty breathing and swallowing In countries with poor hygiene, infection of the skin (cutaneous diphtheria) is more common. If it's cutaneous diphtheria, it can cause: Pus-filled blisters on your legs, feet and hands Large ulcers surrounded by red, sore-looking skin You should get urgent medical help if you have the above symptoms. Source: NHS The ECDC noted the risk of catching diphtheria remained low for the general population, thanks to high vaccination coverage in most European countries. But for vulnerable people, it upped the risk to moderate. "There could be sporadic cases among groups more vulnerable to infection and pockets of unvaccinated individuals," the health watchdog said. It added that Germany in particular had "reported an increase in diphtheria cases with respiratory presentation, raising concerns about more severe clinical manifestations, and possibly wider community spread". In places with high vaccines coverage, most diphtheria infections don't cause symptoms or are mild. But respiratory diphtheria - when the infections affects the nose and throat - can kill up to 10 per cent of its victims, the ECDC said. Diphtheria is mostly spread by coughs, sneezing or close contact. You can, however, also get it from sharing items such as cups, clothing or bedding with an infected person. In the UK, babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against diphtheria since the 1940s. A case of the highly contagious disease was spotted in a UK primary school in 2023. In 2022, 87 people in England were infected with the disease. This fell to 27 in 2023.
ABC News
16-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Researchers uncover spike in potentially fatal 'rat lungworm disease'
Researchers are warning dog owners to be vigilant as a new study reveals a wet weather-driven spike in a potentially fatal disease. Rat lungworm disease is caused by a parasite and is generally picked up by dogs after eating infected slugs and snails. Dogs can die from an infection or be left paralysed if it isn't treated. There have also been two human deaths from the disease in Australia, including Sydney man Sam Ballard who consumed a slug as a dare in 2010 and reportedly contracted the disease before dying from it in 2018, researchers said. A team at the University of Sydney has confirmed at least 93 positive cases of the disease, otherwise known as canine neural angiostrongyliasis, across the country over a four-year-period from 2020 to 2024. Cases peaked at 32 in 2022, which coincided with a La Nina event, and they found hotspots in both Brisbane and Sydney. Lead author Phoebe Rivory said that's likely the "tip of the iceberg" and many more cases were likely both undiagnosed and untested. "The main findings were that we saw a strong relationship between the number of cases and rainfall," Dr Rivory said. "That makes sense, as you know, when you see lots of rain coming down, all these slugs and snails from your garden will emerge. "We also saw a relationship with prior rainfall, indicating some priming of the environment. You know more vegetation, lusher gardens." Researchers said it was likely Brisbane and Sydney recorded higher rates of the disease than elsewhere due to their similar climates. They said high rates of pet ownership and access to emergency care also contributed to sample bias. According to Jan Šlapeta from the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science, who also worked on the study, the invasive parasite rat lungworm was introduced to Australia from South-East Asia sometime after World War II. As the name suggests, it's carried by rats but also by slugs and snails, which act as intermediary hosts after consuming rat faeces. Professor Šlapeta described it as an "interesting" parasite because when it jumps to a host animal like a dog or a human, it travels directly to the brain, where it is killed. It is then the immune response that can cause "serious headaches", and, in some cases, death. He said the first reports of the disease were made in Brisbane in the 1990s and in Sydney in the early 2000s. But prior to the recent study, no-one had set out to identify how prevalent the disease was. It was thanks to a recent development in testing techniques that the team was able to do so. The study proved it was, and with climate change likely to bring more wet weather, the researchers believe those numbers will only increase. Professor Šlapeta said his aim was not to be alarmist, but rather to increase awareness about the disease for dog owners, particularly during high-risk periods like during heavy rain. In particular, he said it was vital owners knew to keep their pets, especially young "inquisitive" dogs, away from slugs and snails and stop them from eating them. Dr Rivory said simple tips that could help pet owners included washing outdoor water bowls. For some reason, cats aren't at risk of contracting the disease, she said. If a dog is infected, it may not start showing any symptoms for a "good couple of weeks", Dr Rivory said. Then, symptoms might include paralysis, especially of the hind legs, or pain in the spine. "They [may] get wobbly or non-functioning hind legs, because it kind of progresses from the rea to the front," she said. Other signs might include confusion or fatigue. Treatments are available if the dog is taken to the vet and treated early. Veterinarian Sasha Miles from the Unusual Pet Vets on the Sunshine Coast agreed early detection was key, as by the time it led to paralysis, it was often too late to do anything about it. "I think … it would be unlikely that they would make a full recovery … I think euthanasia would be on the table," she said. She said other symptoms to look out for in dogs included a cough and muscle weakness. Dr Miles hadn't treated the condition in dogs, but has seen it in some species of birds. She agreed with taking preventative measures like daily washing water bowls with detergent and ensuring aviaries were snail and slug-proof for birds. "And I guess just if it's been raining heaps … supervising your animal and … looking around the back garden for snails and slugs and if they are there then not letting the pet out in that area," Dr Miles said.
