Diphtheria outbreak and associated risk factors assessment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Diphtheria, a highly infectious disease that may be prevented by vaccine, is spreading and poses a serious threat of becoming an epidemic and major public health concern in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study was aimed to examine the epidemic from an epidemiological standpoint and offer management recommendations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the year 2024. Data of Diphtheria cases were collected from Districts Health Information System (DHIS) of Health Department Khyber Pakhtukhwa for the year 2024 reported from 28 districts of the province. The data revealed 683 confirmed cases of diphtheria across 28 districts, underlining the significant public health issue faced by the disease's ability to spread rapidly. Among these, 58 cases were verified by laboratory testing, highlighting the critical need for improved diagnostic services to detect diphtheria rapidly and reliably. The study identifies six distinct outbreaks verified in laboratories in Peshawar Nowshera, Charsadda, Bannu, Mardan, and Swat, demonstrating the disease's widespread geographic reach and the need for focused public health interventions in these locations. A higher prevalence was identified in those over the age of five (87%). There is a substantial opportunity to reduce and ultimately extinguish the risk of diphtheria becoming an uncontrolled epidemic in the region by implementing a comprehensive and multifaceted approach.