DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAKS IN ALGERIA

Since 1990, epidemics diphtheria have reappeared in the new independen t states, formerly members of the USSR, Algeria has also experienced e pidemics of diphtheria in 1993, 1994, and 1995, in various regions of the country, The age range the most affected was 11 to 20. 108 Coryneb acterium diphtheriae strains were isolated; 71 of them were mitis biot ype and 8 gravis. 95 of the strains were found to be resistant to tetr acyclines, chloramphenicol, sulfamides, and fosfomycin, 6 to tetracycl ines, sulfamides, and fosfomycin; 6 to sulfamides and fosfomycin: 1 to tetracyclines and fosfomycin. 39 strains were sent to Romania (WHO Di phtheria Reference Center) to underscore their toxigenic power and to determine their phage typing: 32 strains were found to be toxigenic wi th lysotype VI, 6 were non toxin producing, among them: 1 was of lysot ype VI and 5 were lysoresistant. The last one was non lysotypable.