Dissertation committee:
Έφη Πουλάκου-Ρεμπελάκου Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Γεώργιος Ανδρούτσος Καθηγητής, Γεώργιος Αρσένης Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής
Summary:
Diphtheria, known disease from Antiquity by the name angina membranacea, took
its modern name by Doctor Pierre-Fidele Bretonneau in 1926. In Greece of 19th
century first case was identified in 1854. Over the next years the number of
cases increases and epidemics are caused. Therapeutic attempts, which included
medicines such as emetic, styptic, anti-infective, could not deal with the
disease effectively. Mortality as much as morbidity is referred even in more
favourable conditions 50% and/or 25%.
The discovery and application of serotherapy, a new method that provides
immunity against diphtheria, changed the route of the disease forever.
Serotherapy was discovered by Emil von Behring in 1890. Greek doctors applied
very quickly the new treatment bringing to the country beneficial effects over
diphtheria.
First tests of the anti-diphtheria vaccines made in Greece in 1927-1932 having
encouraging results.
Serotherapy, the anti-diphtheria vaccination and the penicillin in combination,
eliminated a disease in a country. Diphtheria belongs to the past for Greece
and despite the danger of the appearance of individual cases because of
travelling to countries where there is the endemic disease, the time of
epidemics cannot return under the present circumstances.
Keywords:
Diphtheria, Vaccine, Serotherapy, Penicillin, Greece
