Occurrence and Distribution of Types of C. diphtheriae

Continued High Incidence of Diphtheria in a Well-Immunized Community

“…Since October 1948, when routine typing was begun, more than 90 percent of the cultures from that county and almost 70 percent of the cultures from neighboring counties have been gravis strains. The findings are in sharp contrast to the diphtheria flora usually encountered in other areas of the United States (12)(13)(14). Moreover, the serologic studies reported by Hermann and Parsons (15) indicate that the gravis strains isolated in north Georgia are closely related antigenically.…”