Qld patient infected with diphtheria germ

A Townsville resident is suffering from a wound that is infected by the bacteria that causes diphtheria.

Townsville Public Health Unit director Dr Steven Donohue says the person, whose gender has not been disclosed, was infected by the bacteria overseas but did not develop the illness because they were immunised as a child.

They are recovering with antibiotics at home and the risk to the community is low, Dr Donohue said.

Diphtheria, which caused severe infections of the throat and nose, has been rare in Australia since the introduction of an effective vaccine but outbreaks still occur in countries with low vaccination rates.