Year/period |
Type of event |
Event |
Present time geographical location
|
5th century BC |
Scientific development |
Diphtheria is first described by Greek physician Hippocrates.[1] |
Greece
|
1884 |
Scientific development |
German bacteriologist Friedrich Loeffler first grows diphtheria bacterium corynebacterium diphtheriae in pure culture.[2] |
Germany
|
1921 |
Report |
206,000 cases of diphtheria and 15,520 deaths are recorded in the United States.[3] |
United States
|
1953 |
Medical development |
Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (adult formulation) are first licensed in the United States, after the concentration of diphtheria toxoid is reduced.[4] |
United States
|
1974 |
Epidemic |
Diphtheria epidemic breaks out in Lisbon. 500 persons are involved, and about 40 deaths are recorded.[2] |
Portugal
|
1982 |
Epidemic |
5 deaths are recorded in Germany during a diphtheria outbreak.[2] |
Germany
|
1996 |
Medical development |
Lederle Laboratories licenses diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine Acel-Imune, for use as the first through fifth doses in the series.[4] |
|
1997 |
Medical development |
British pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham licenses Infanrix (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed), for the first four doses of the series.[4] |
|
1998 |
Medical development |
North American Vaccine Inc licenses Certiva (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed), for boosting immunization of infants and children.[4] |
|
1999 |
Medical development |
Connaught Laboratories licenses diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine Tripedia.[4] |
|
2002 |
Medical development |
British pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline licenses Pediarix, a vaccine combining diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated polio, and hepatitis B antigens.[4] |
|
2002 |
Medical development |
Aventis Pasteur licenses diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine Daptacel.[4] |
|
2004 |
Medical development |
Aventis Pasteur licenses vaccine Decavac, indicated for active immunization against tetanus and diphtheria.[4][5] |
|
2005 |
Medical development |
Sanofi Pasteur licenses Menactra, the first meningococcal polysaccharide (Serogroups A, C, Y and W-135) diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine. This would be the first immunogenic meningococcal vaccine indicated for children younger than 2 years of age.[4] |
|
2007 |
Report |
4,190 cases of diphtheria are reported globally.[3] |
|
2011 |
Medical development |
United States Food and Drug Administration approves Boostrix (developed by GlaxoSmithKline) to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis in older people.[4] |
United States
|