Diphtheria notifications and deaths: England and Wales 1986-2010

Statutory notifications of diphtheria have to be interpreted with extreme caution as most are cases of pharyngitis associated with isolation of non-toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. There are a small number laboratory confirmed cases of toxigenic C. diphtheriae infection and most are cutaneous (skin infections) acquired overseas in countries where the disease is still endemic.

Diphtheria notifications and deaths: England and Wales 1986-2010
Year	Corrected Notifications				Deaths
Year	Total notifications	Number due to toxigenic C. diphtheriae	Number due to toxigenic C. ulcerans	Number due to non-toxigenic Corynebacteria	Deaths
1986	4	3	1	0	0
1987	2	2	0	0	0
1988	1	1	0	0	0
1989	2	1	0	1	0
1990	2	1	0	1	0
1991	2	1	0	1	0
1992	8	1	0	7	0
1993	6	5	0	1	0
1994	9	0	1	8	2*
1995	12	1	0	11	0
1996	11	2	0	9	0
1997	22	2	0	20	0
1998	23	1	1	21	0
1999	23	0	0	23	0
2000	19	1	0	18	1#
2001	13	0	1	12	0
2002	20	2	1	17	0
2003	13	0	0	13	0
2004	10	0	2	8	0
2005	9	0	1	8	0
2006	10	0	1	9	1#
2007	9	0	0	9	0
2008	6	0	0	6	1$
2009	11	0	2	9	0
2010	8	1	1	6	0

* one death incorrectly coded as diphtheria
# due to toxigenic C. ulcerans

$ due to C. diphtheriae, case not notified

Last reviewed: 24 March 2011