Italy, After the Death of a 4-Year-old Girl From Suspected Diphtheria, With One Clinic Running Out of Its Supply of the Hexavalent Vaccine

At the vaccination center in the Pallavicino district, which serves the San Filippo Neri (Zen) neighborhood where the girl lived, medical staff was doubled to handle the influx. At another center on Via Giorgio Arcoleo, supplies of the hexavalent serum, which also protects against diphtheria, were exhausted and backup stocks had to be used. Health officials estimate vaccination numbers could rise by 10% in the coming hours.

Meanwhile, the Palermo health authority (Asp) has launched an epidemiological investigation to trace the girl's contacts and identify the possible source of infection. The goal is to find the so-called "patient zero" and verify the family's contacts with relatives, friends, and others. Swabs have been taken from most of the girl's household, and about 20 family members have visited vaccination centers to receive the hexavalent vaccine.

Those potentially exposed will undergo prevention procedures, from checking vaccination status to swabs and antibiotic chemoprophylaxis. Instructions have been sent to doctors at the Cervello and Civico hospitals who treated the child. "Finding the so-called patient zero at this stage is very important, said Antonio Cascio, director of the Infectious Diseases unit at Palermo's Policlinico hospital.

"There may be a healthy carrier among relatives or acquaintances who unknowingly infected the girl. That's why it's necessary to carefully reconstruct all the contacts she had and identify people who may have been exposed. Cascio urged caution about the risk of wider spread.

"Epidemic is a big word. What we might fear is a mere outbreak. At this moment we need to focus especially on people who may have come into contact with the girl and are not vaccinated.

The risk of spread is minimal at the moment, he said. On Sicily ranking last in Italy for pediatric vaccinations at 85%, Cascio said: "It depends on ignorance and misinformation, for example the association of autism with vaccination. Ignorance and misinformation are fueled by social media, which amplify the spread of fake news.