Ophanet, who are a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when if affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Diphtheria as a "rare disease". More information about Diphtheria is available from Orphanet
1 annual case notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999) ... see also overview of Diphtheria.
approx 1 in 272,000,000 or 0.00% or 1 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "1 annual case notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999)" -- see also general information about data sources]
1 per year, 0 per month, 0 per week, 0 per day, 0 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. [Source statistic for calculation: "1 annual case notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999)" -- see also general information about data sources]
For details see incidence of types of Diphtheria analysis; summary of available incidence by type data:
Approximately 0.001 cases per 100,000 population in the U.S. since 1980; before the introduction of vaccine in the 1920s incidence was 100-200 cases per 100,000 population. Diphtheria remains endemic in developing countries. The countries of the former Soviet Union have reported >150,000 cases in an epidemic which began in 1990. (Source: excerpt from Diphtheria: DBMD)
The following statistics relate to the incidence of Diphtheria:
The following statistics relate to deaths and Diphtheria:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the prevalence and/or incidence of Diphtheria.
Transmission usually occurs through intimate contact or by airborne respiratory droplets from asymptomatic carriers or convalescing patients. Many more people carry this disease than contract active infection. Diphtheria is more prevalent during the colder months because of closer person-to-person indoor contact, however it may be contracted at any time during the year.
Thanks to effective immunization, diphtheria is rare in many parts of the world, including the United States. Since 1972, the incidence of cutaneous diphtheria has been increasing, especially in the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest, in areas where crowding and poor hygienic conditions prevail. Most victims are children younger than age 15; about 10% of patients die.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Though the disease is distributed throughout the world, it is endemic primarily in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and South America. In the Western world, the incidence of diphtheria has changed dramatically in the past 50–75 years as a result of the widespread use of diphtheria toxoid after World War II. The incidence has declined steadily and is now a rare occurrence.
>Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
The term 'prevalence' of Diphtheria usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Diphtheria at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Diphtheria refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Diphtheria diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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