In the period between February to October 1969, an investigation on some characteristics of patients with diphtheria and their families in the area of the Great S. Paulo (Brazil), was accomplished. A group of 29 patients, corresponding to 13.5% of the total number of patients with the disease, admitted to the Hospital Emílio Ribas during the period, was compared with a matched control group of 24 neighbourhood's children. Most of the patients came from the fringe area of the Great S. Paulo and their families and residential quarters were characterized by precarious social, educational and hygienic conditions. The number of children with previous history of complete vaccination (three primary doses of toxoid) was strikingly low in both groups. As expected, none of the children in the case group had completed the three doses immunization schedule. Although the frequencies of negative Schick tests were 81.5% and 75.5% in the control and case groups, respectively. No significant difference was demonstrated in the Schick reaction when comparing sibilings of children in the case group with those in the control families. The failure of the vaccination program with regard to this socio-economic group was clearly evident.
Diphtheria; Triple vaccination; Schick test
