6. Traveling
If you are traveling outside of the United States or Western Europe, it is very important to make sure that you have been vaccinated for diphtheria before you leave. Health officials in the United States and Western Europe have had the vaccination available for decades. It is because of this that it very rarely shows up in these countries. However, if you are going to a third world country or a country that is still developing, the vaccination against diphtheria is not as common.
This increases the risk of people carrying the bacteria and it spreading to you. If you are vaccinated against the disease you have very little to worry about. However, you still could come down with some of the symptoms of the disease, but they are more likely to be less severe than if you were not vaccinated at all. Make sure you discuss these vaccinations with your doctor before your travel dates.