[Diphtheria and poliomyelitis incidence in Europe]

Vaccinations are considered to be one of the most protitable Public Health activities, given that almost three million deaths and four hundred thousand cases of polyomyelitis paralysis are avoided throughout the world every year. Nevertheless, in under-developed countries, especially Africa, two million children die every year from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. This article studies the re-emergence in recent years of diphtheria in Eastern European countries (Ukrania, Russia, Belorussia, Poland, ...) and of polyomyelitis in countries with no recorded cases of the disease in many years, such as the Netherlands, Bulgaria or Transcaucasian Republics and Eastern Asian countries formerly of the Soviet Union. An anlaysis is carried out on extent and effects, the factors contributing to re-emergence and preventive measures adopted to minimise outbreaks and avoid further cases.