Diphtheria cases in Europe
Diphtheria is not a disease we think much about in the U.S. Infants are protected against this disease when they get the DTaP vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months of age, with booster doses at 15-18 months and 4-6 years of age. Typically, less than one case per year occurs in the U.S.
However, diphtheria continues to occur in other places. Recently, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control provided an update regarding cases of diphtheria occurring in Europe. Following a larger outbreak in 2022 when more than 300 cases occurred, diphtheria cases have decreased, but they have not gone away. From 2023 through July 2025, 82 cases of diphtheria occurred in six European countries: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Norway, Poland and Switzerland. Because of high vaccination rates in Europe, cases have been limited. However, these cases serve as a reminder that the pathogens that cause diseases we don’t hear much about are still waiting for opportunities to return.
- Find out more about the situation in Europe.
- Find out more about diphtheria and the vaccines to prevent it.
Why children get so many vaccines
Recently, Vox interviewed Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center, for a video story related to the vaccine schedule. The 8 1/2-minute video reviews why the schedule is set up the way it is, why infants are more susceptible to several vaccine-preventable diseases, and why characteristics of the disease and the baby’s immune system are relevant to the design of the immunization schedule.
Diphtheria cases in Europe
Diphtheria is not a disease we think much about in the U.S. Infants are protected against this disease when they get the DTaP vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months of age, with booster doses at 15-18 months and 4-6 years of age. Typically, less than one case per year occurs in the U.S.
However, diphtheria continues to occur in other places. Recently, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control provided an update regarding cases of diphtheria occurring in Europe. Following a larger outbreak in 2022 when more than 300 cases occurred, diphtheria cases have decreased, but they have not gone away. From 2023 through July 2025, 82 cases of diphtheria occurred in six European countries: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Norway, Poland and Switzerland. Because of high vaccination rates in Europe, cases have been limited. However, these cases serve as a reminder that the pathogens that cause diseases we don’t hear much about are still waiting for opportunities to return.
- Find out more about the situation in Europe.
- Find out more about diphtheria and the vaccines to prevent it.
Why children get so many vaccines
Recently, Vox interviewed Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center, for a video story related to the vaccine schedule. The 8 1/2-minute video reviews why the schedule is set up the way it is, why infants are more susceptible to several vaccine-preventable diseases, and why characteristics of the disease and the baby’s immune system are relevant to the design of the immunization schedule.