A four-year-old girl died of diphtheria in Palermo, Italy, after her parents declined to vaccinate her, according to ladepeche.fr. The parents reportedly believed the injections could cause autism and refused the shots for their daughter.
The public prosecutor's office in Palermo has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the death, ladepeche.fr reports. The juvenile prosecutor's office is also examining potential parental responsibility, according to fr.lapresse.it.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that is nearly eradicated in countries with high vaccination coverage. The disease can cause severe breathing difficulties and damage to the heart and nervous system if left untreated.
The case has drawn attention from Italian officials and media outlets. Italian senator Licia Ronzulli urged parents to vaccinate their children to prevent "avoidable tragedies," as reported by Agenzia Nova. Il Mattino described the death as a tragedy that has renewed warnings about the risks of skipping immunizations.
Italy mandates a set of childhood vaccines, including one for diphtheria, though enforcement and parental compliance can vary. The girl's death is one of the rare modern cases of diphtheria in Europe, where routine immunization has made the disease uncommon.
The investigation will determine whether the parents face legal consequences for their decision. The case may also fuel ongoing public debate in Italy over vaccine mandates and parental choice, particularly as health authorities stress the importance of maintaining high immunization rates to prevent the return of preventable diseases.
