Lucrezia Ciotti A disease that seemed to have disappeared is once again causing fear in Italy . In Padua, a 22-year-old man is hospitalized in serious condition for diphtheria and is in isolation. Meanwhile, health authorities have started antibiotic prophylaxis for 100 people who came into contact with him, while treatment to combat the infection continues.
Padua: 22-year-old man diagnosed with diphtheria administered antitoxic serum
An infectious disease that seemed rare in Italy is once again causing concern following the hospitalization of a 22-year-old man suffering from diphtheria , currently in serious clinical conditions in the Infectious Diseases department of the Padua University Hospital.
The young man, from Bangladesh , is in isolation and undergoing specific treatment. To counteract the effects of the toxin produced by the bacterium, health workers have activated the procedure to obtain the antitoxic serum through the Poison Control Center in Pavia.
The treatment was administered on Saturday 10 October , while confirmation of the infection came on Sunday 11 October, following tests carried out by the hospital's Microbiology and Virology department.
The boy has also started antibiotic therapy and remains under constant medical observation. Prompt treatment is crucial because diphtheria toxin can spread through the blood and damage vital organs , including the heart, kidneys, and nervous system.
Padua, 22-year-old boy diagnosed with diphtheria: prophylaxis for 100 people
After the patient's hospitalization, the Hygiene and Public Health Service of the ULSS 6 Euganea completed the epidemiological investigation to identify the patient's contacts and limit the risk of contagion. One hundred people were identified , including close contacts and co-workers . All were started on a seven-day preventive antibiotic prophylaxis, with 100% compliance. Clinical surveillance was also activated to monitor their health conditions.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially fatal bacterial disease . It manifests primarily in the respiratory form, with the formation of whitish or grayish membranes in the throat and tonsils, or on the skin, with ulcers that may be covered by a grayish membrane. In more severe cases, the respiratory form can cause difficulty swallowing and breathing, swelling of the neck, and damage to internal organs. Common symptoms include sore throat, hoarseness, fever, chills, and severe fatigue. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected secretions. People who are unvaccinated or have not received their vaccinations are at greater risk of contracting the disease.
According to data from the Italian National Institute of Health, 16 cases of diphtheria were confirmed in Italy between 2018 and September 30, 2026 , more than half of which were associated with recent travel abroad. In August 2026, three cases were recorded : two respiratory infections, one fatal and involving an unvaccinated four-year-old girl , and a skin infection in a person from a reception center. The following September, a further skin infection was reported in a reception center resident with a recent travel history.