Diphtheria Antitoxin Administration, Outcomes, and Safety: Response to a Diphtheria Outbreak in Cox's Bazar Bangladesh.

Overview

abstract

BACKGROUND: Diphtheria has re-emerged over the past several years. There is a paucity of data on the administration and safety of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT), the standard treatment for diphtheria. The 2017-2018 outbreak among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh was the largest in decades. We determined the outcomes of DAT-treated patients and describe the occurrence and risk factors associated with adverse reactions to DAT. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study at the Médecins Sans Frontières Rubber Garden Diphtheria Treatment Center from December 2017-September 2018. Diphtheria was diagnosed based on the WHO clinical case criteria. High-acuity patients were eligible for DAT. Safety precautions were meticulously maintained. We calculated the presence of adverse events by age, duration of illness, and DAT dosage using bivariate comparisons. RESULTS: We treated 709 patients with DAT. Ninety-eight percent (n=696) recovered and were discharged. One-fourth (n=170) had at least one adverse reaction. Common reactions included cough (n=115, 16%), rash (n=66, 9%), and itching (n=37, 5%). Three percent (n=18) had severe hypersensitivity reactions. Five patients died during their DAT infusion or soon afterwards, but no deaths were attributed to DAT. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes for DAT-treated patients were excellent; mortality was less than 1%. Adverse reactions occurred in a quarter of all patients, but most reactions were mild and resolved quickly. DAT can be safely administered in a setting with basic critical care, provided that there is a continuous patient monitoring during the infusion, staff training on management of adverse effects, and attention to safety precautions.