Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by *Corynebacterium diphtheriae*. It primarily affects the nose and throat, forming a thick gray membrane, but can also involve the skin. While rare in vaccinated populations, it can be life-threatening if untreated.
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Diphtheria has a long and devastating history, causing major epidemics globally, especially among children, before the 20th century. The bacterium responsible, *Corynebacterium diphtheriae*, was identified by Edwin Klebs in 1884. The development of an antitoxin and later a highly effective vaccine dramatically reduced its incidence and mortality, making its control a major public health success story.
Diphtheria primarily spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets released when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or talks. Less commonly, it can be transmitted through direct contact with infected skin lesions or contaminated objects. Close and prolonged contact is generally required for transmission.
Contagious Period: Varies by disease
Local health department information and state-specific prevention guidance
Our AI-powered surveillance continuously monitors Diphtheria activity across New Mexico. We track data from state health departments, local hospitals, CDC reports, and 50+ global health sources to provide early warning of emerging threats.
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For official state health alerts, vaccination locations, and public health guidance specific to New Mexico, visit your state health department's website.
Whether you live in New Mexico or are traveling there, knowing the symptoms, timeline, and when to seek care helps you act quickly if exposure occurs.
Seek care if you experience severe dehydration, bloody stools, high fever, or symptoms lasting more than 3 days. Children under 5, adults over 65, and immunocompromised individuals should seek care earlier.
Emergency symptoms: Severe dehydration, inability to keep fluids down for 12 or more hours, or neurological symptoms require emergency care.
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Trusted information from leading health organizations
Official guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
View CDC Resources →Global disease surveillance and guidelines from the World Health Organization
View WHO Resources →Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
No confirmed cases reported in New Mexico yet. Here are the latest Diphtheria reports from our global surveillance network.
Australia is experiencing its biggest diphtheria outbreak in decades, with the serious bacterial infection spreading across Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. The health minister has expressed significant concern over this widespread publi…
This event envelope contains reports on diphtheria in Czechia. *Source: BEACON* - [View Full Report](https://beaconbio.org/en/event/?eventid=3afebce2-1ee9-446f-8a33-34b1ab14b2d3)
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Health authorities are urging people to get vaccinated, as a potentially deadly infection spreads across four Australian states. Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by the toxin-producing bacteria, Coryneb…
Diphtheria cases are on the rise in Australia [FILE] (Image: Getty Images) Australia is battling its worst diphtheria outbreak in decades, with more than 230 cases reported this year and one confirmed death, prompting urgent travel warnings for unvaccinated Britons. Health author…
Health authorities are urging Australians to stay up to date with their diphtheria vaccinations as the deadly disease spreads across state borders. The Australian Centre for Disease Control is managing the outbreak of the once almost-eradicated disease after cases began increasin…
A second diphtheria-related death in the Northern Territory has underscored the spread of the rare bacterial infection across jurisdictions as health authorities continue tracking an outbreak not seen in decades. The ABC has confirmed a man in his early 60s has died after contra…
Australian authorities and communities are urgently trying to bring a major diphtheria outbreak across several states under control. The Northern Territory government is investigating at least one death and there are concerted efforts to lift vaccination and booster rates in affe…
Some of the misinformation circulating online about the outbreak has falsely linked it to migration. Once one of Australia's most feared childhood diseases, diphtheria killed thousands of children before vaccination programs introduced in the 1930s all but eliminated the infectio…
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