Diphtherie shock in Spandau: Unvopled students fight for his life

Diphtherie shock in Spandau: Unvopled students fight for his life

A worrying case has made headlines in the past few days: a student from Berlin-Spandau has been ill. The young man, who originally comes from the Hovelland district in Brandenburg and attended a Waldorf school in Spandau, is not vaccinated against this dangerous illness.

He is currently being treated in a clinic in Berlin and receives invasive ventilation. Dr. Bernhard Kosak, the head of pediatric emergency medicine at the West Brandenburg Clinic, commented on the dangers associated with the lack of vaccination. He emphasized: "Many people believe that doctors can already treat these diseases today." This is often not the case.

diphtheria: a serious health risk

dr. Kosak pointed out that the treating doctors can only help a limited extent in serious illnesses such as diphtheria, meningococcal or pneumococcal infections. Many of these diseases leave high risks of permanent damage. Diphtheria used to be known as the "choke angel of the children" and can lead to serious complications.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there have been only one to two-digit number of diphthe traps in Germany in recent years, but in 2022 and 2023 the cases rose to three-digit values. This increase is partly explained by international outbursts among refugees. So far, 37 confirmed diphtheria cases have been reported in Germany, including two in Berlin. The last suspicion in the Havelland dates from 2012, which was not confirmed.

Vaccination against Diphtherie is one of the standard vaccinations for infants and children recommended by the constant vaccination commission (STIKO). In addition, adults are suggested every ten years of refreshing vaccination to maintain vaccination protection.