![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
Abstract
We describe an outbreak of diphtheria in Norway that occurred in 2008 and affected 3 unvaccinated family members. The epidemic caught the public health system off-guard on most levels; the diagnosis was distrusted due to its rarity, no diphtheria anti-toxin was available, and notification procedures were not rigorously followed.
Acknowledgements
We thank A. Efstratiou, Health Protection Agency, Colindale, London, UK for confirming the bacterial diagnosis, toxigenicity, and for ribotyping; Ø. Løvoll and F. L. Nilsen for their contribution to containing the outbreak; A. R. Alme and G. Rødahl for skilful technical work; and several other colleagues are thanked for their public health work in containing the outbreak.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.