Immunity to diphtheria in adults in England

Abstract
EDITOR, - The recent resurgence of diphtheria in Russia has led to anxieties about the susceptibility of British adults to the disease, and about the organism's potential for reintroduction and circulation in the population. Serological surveys in Scandinavian countries have shown low levels of antibodies to diphtheria toxin in adults, particularly among women over 40,1 and small outbreaks of diphtheria have subsequently been reported in Sweden and Denmark.2 To assess immunity to diphtheria in adults in England we tested 2862 serum samples from …