Diphtheria
Over diphtheria
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that spreads easily and occurs quickly. It mainly affects the nose and throat.
Children under 5 and adults over 60 years old are particularly at risk for contracting the infection. People living in
crowded or unclean conditions, those who are not well nourished, and children and adults who are not up-to-date
Vaccinations are also at risk.
Diphtheria is very rare in the United States and Europe, where health officials have been immunizing children against it
for decades. However, it is still in the developing countries where vaccination is not routinely given widespread. In the years 1993 and
1994, more than 50,000 cases have been reported in a severe outbreak of diphtheria in countries of the former Soviet Union
Union.
Signs and symptoms
In its early stages, diphtheria can be mistaken for a bad sore throat. A low-grade fever and swollen neck glands are the
other early symptoms.
The toxin or poison, caused by the bacteria can lead to a thick coating (or membrane) in the nose, throat or respiratory system,
whereby a diphtheria infection different from other common infections that cause sore throats (eg streptococci
Throat). This coating is fuzzy gray or black usually and can cause breathing problems and difficulty swallowing.
As the infection progresses, someone can:
have difficulty breathing or swallowing
complain of double vision
have slurred speech
even signs of a shock (skin, pale and cold, rapid heartbeat, sweating, and an anxious appearance)
In cases that progress beyond a throat infection, diphtheria toxin spreads through the bloodstream and can cause
potentially life-threatening complications that other organs, such as heart and kidney effects. The toxin can
Damage to the heart that affects its ability to blood or the kidneys' ability to remove waste pumps. It can also cause
Nerve damage, eventually leading to paralysis. Can be up to 40% to 50% of those who do not get treated die.
Prevention
Preventing diphtheria depends almost entirely because of the diphtheria / tetanus / pertussis vaccine for children (DTaP) and
non-immunized adolescents and adults (Tdap). After a single dose of Tdap, teens and adults should receive a booster dose
Shot of diphtheria / tetanus (Td) every 10 years. Most cases of diphtheria occur in people over who do not
received the vaccine at all or do not receive the entire course.
The schedule calls for:
DTAP vaccine at 2, 4 and 6 months old
Booster dose given at the age of 12 to 18 months
Booster dose given again at 4 to 6 years
Given Tdap vaccine at 11-12 years
Booster doses of Td is given every 10 years thereafter to maintain the protection
Although most children tolerate it well, the vaccine sometimes causes mild side effects such as redness or tenderness at
the injection site, mild fever or a general restlessness or irritability. Serious complications, such as an allergic
Reaction, are rare.
Contagiousness
Diphtheria is highly contagious. It is easily passed from an infected person to others through sneezing, coughing, or even
laugh. It can also pick up somebody tissues or drinking glasses that have been used by an infected distributed
Person.
People infected with the diphtheria bacteria, even if they have no symptoms, can infect others for up to 4 weeks.
The incubation period (the time it takes for a person to become infected after being exposed) for diphtheria is 2 to 4
Days, but may be 1-6 days.
Treatment
Children and adults with diphtheria are treated in a hospital. After a doctor confirms the diagnosis by a constriction
Culture the infected person receives a special anti-toxin is given by injections or an IV, to neutralize the
Diphtheria toxin already circulating in the body, plus antibiotics to kill the remaining diphtheria bacteria.
If the infection is advanced, people with diphtheria may need a ventilator to breathe. In cases where the
Toxins can be in the heart, kidney, central nervous system or have spread, the patient may need intravenous fluids, oxygen, or
Heart medicines.
A person with diphtheria must be isolated. Family members and other close contacts who are not immunized or who are
very young and the elderly, must be protected from contact with the patient.
When someone is diagnosed with diphtheria, the doctor will notify the local health department and handle all the
Household, the bacteria may have come in contact with. The treatment includes assessing the immune status, throat cultures and
Booster doses of diphtheria vaccine. You also get antibiotics as a precaution.
Immediate hospitalization and early intervention allow most patients recover from diphtheria. After antibiotic
and anti-toxin have taken someone with diphtheria will need bed rest for a while (4-6 weeks or until complete
Recovery). Bed rest is particularly important if one developed myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation), which
can be a complication of diphtheria.
Who should have still recovering a full course of diphtheria vaccine to prevent recurrence because
Contracting the disease does not guarantee lifelong immunity.
When to call the doctor
Call your doctor immediately if someone in your family has symptoms of diphtheria, if you observe symptoms in someone
Otherwise, if someone in your family is exposed to diphtheria, or if you think that you or a family member is in danger. It is
important to remember, though, is that most sore throats not diphtheria, especially in countries where routine
Vaccinations against them.
If you are not sure if your children have been vaccinated against diphtheria, make an appointment. Also make sure your own
Booster immunizations are current. International studies have shown that a significant percentage of adults over 40 years
of age are not sufficiently protected against diphtheria and tetanus.