Diphtheria is a dangerous bacterial infection that mainly affects the nose and throat mucous membranes. Diphtheria is exceedingly infrequent in the United States and other industrialized nations because to extensive immunization. However, many nations with insufficient health care or immunization choices continue to have high diphtheria rates.
Diphtheria is treatable with medicines. Diphtheria, on the other hand, can harm the heart, kidneys, and nervous system in its severe stages. Diphtheria can be fatal even with therapy, especially in youngsters.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DIPHTERIA?
Diphtheria signs and symptoms often appear 2 to 5 days after infection. Among the signs and symptoms are:
- A thick, greyish membrane that covers the tonsils and throat.
- Hoarseness and a painful throat
- Neck swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes)
- Breathing difficulties or fast breathing
- Excessive nasal discharge
- Chills and fever
- Tiredness
Infection with diphtheria-causing bacteria causes just a minor disease in some persons, or no visible signs and symptoms at all. Diphtheria carriers are infected persons who are ignorant of their sickness. They are known as carriers because they may transfer the virus while remaining healthy.
Skin (cutaneous) diphtheria
A second kind of diphtheria can cause discomfort, redness, and swelling on the skin, similar to other bacterial skin diseases. Skin diphtheria may sometimes manifest as ulcers covered by a gray membrane.
Diphtheria on the skin occurs in the United States, however it is more frequent in tropical climes. It is more likely to occur among persons who have poor hygiene and live in crowded surroundings.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF DIPHTERIA?
The bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae causes diphtheria. The bacteria normally multiplies on or around the pharynx or skin's surface. C. diphtheriae spreads by:
- Airborne droplets: People nearby may inhale C. diphtheriae when an infected person sneezes or coughs, releasing a mist of contaminated droplets. Diphtheria spreads quickly in this manner, especially in crowded areas.
- Personal or household goods that have been contaminated: Diphtheria can be contracted by handling an infected person's items, such as used tissues or hand towels, which may be contaminated with the germs.
Touching a contaminated wound can also spread diphtheria-causing germs.
Those who have been infected with the diphtheria germs but have not been treated can infect people who have not received the diphtheria vaccination — even if they are asymptomatic.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR DIPHTERIA?
People who are more likely to get diphtheria include:
- Children and adults who are not up to date on their immunizations
- People who live in overcrowding or unhealthy circumstances
- Anyone who travels to a region where diphtheria infections are more prevalent
Diphtheria is extremely rare in the United States and Western Europe, where children have been immunized against the disease for decades. Diphtheria is still prevalent in underdeveloped nations with low immunization rates.
Diphtheria is mostly a hazard to unprotected or insufficiently vaccinated persons who travel overseas or have contact with people from less developed nations in places where diphtheria immunization is norm.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF DIPHTHERIA?
Diphtheria, if left untreated, can result in:
- Breathing difficulties: A toxin may be produced by diphtheria-causing bacteria. This toxin causes tissue damage in the location of infection, which is generally the nose and throat. The infection creates a stiff, gray membrane at that spot, which is made up of dead cells, bacteria, and other things. This membrane has the potential to restrict breathing.
- Heart damage: Diphtheria toxin can travel through the circulation and harm other tissues. It can, for example, harm the heart muscle, resulting in consequences such as heart muscle inflammation (myocarditis). Myocarditis can cause mild or serious heart damage. Myocarditis, at its worst, can result in heart failure and rapid death.
- Nerve damage: The poison can also harm nerves. Nerves to the throat are common targets, as impaired neural conduction might cause trouble swallowing. Nerves in the arms and legs may also become irritated, resulting in muscular weakness.
Diphtheria toxin can paralyze muscles required for breathing if it affects the nerves that regulate them. You may require mechanical aid to breathe at that moment.
Most persons with diphtheria survive these consequences with therapy, but recovery is generally gradual. Diphtheria is deadly in around 5% to 10% of cases. Death rates are greater in children under the age of five and in people over the age of 40.
HOW IS DIPHTERIA DIAGNOSED?
Diphtheria may be suspected in a sick youngster with a painful throat and a gray membrane covering the tonsils and throat. The presence of C. diphtheriae in a lab culture of throat membrane material validates the diagnosis. Doctors can also collect tissue from an infected lesion and send it to a lab to be tested for the form of diphtheria that affects the skin (cutaneous diphtheria).
If a clinician suspects diphtheria, therapy begins right once, even before bacterial test results are available.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR DIPHTHERIA?
Diphtheria is a potentially fatal disease. Doctors respond quickly and forcefully. Doctors initially check to see if the airway is closed or constricted. In certain circumstances, a breathing tube may be placed in the neck to maintain the airway open until the airway is less irritated. Treatment options include:
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics, such as penicillin and erythromycin, aid in the killing of germs in the body, therefore cleaning up illnesses. Antibiotics shorten the period during which a person with diphtheria is infectious.
- An antitoxin: If a doctor suspects diphtheria, he or she will prescribe a prescription to neutralize the diphtheria toxin in the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided this drug. This antitoxin medication is injected into a vein or muscle.
Skin allergy testing may be performed before administering an antitoxin. These are performed to ensure that the sick individual is not allergic to the antitoxin. If a person is allergic to the antitoxin, the doctor would most likely advise against using it.
Diphtheria commonly necessitates hospitalization for both children and adults. They may be isolated in a critical care unit since diphtheria is easily transmitted to those who have not been immunized.
Preventive treatments
If you have been exposed to a diphtheria infected individual, visit a doctor for testing and possibly treatment. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help prevent you from contracting the sickness. A booster dose of the diphtheria vaccination may also be required.
People who are proven to be diphtheria carriers are given medicines to cleanse their systems of the bacterium.
HOME REMEDIES FOR DIPHTHERIA
Diphtheria recovery necessitates a lot of bed rest. Avoiding physical activity is especially crucial if your heart has been impacted. Because of the pain and difficulties swallowing, you may need to supplement your nutrition with liquids and soft meals for a while.
Strict isolation when infectious aids in the prevention of illness transmission. Everyone in your family should wash their hands thoroughly to help reduce the spread of the sickness.
After recovering from diphtheria, you will require a full course of diphtheria vaccination to avoid recurrence. Diphtheria, unlike several other illnesses, does not confer lifetime immunity. Diphtheria can be contracted more than once if you are not adequately immunized.
HOW CAN DIPHTHERIA BE PREVENTED?
Diphtheria was a common infection in young children before medicines were available. The condition is now not only curable, but also preventive thanks to a vaccination.
Diphtheria vaccination is frequently mixed with tetanus and whooping cough vaccines (pertussis). The diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccination is a three-in-one vaccine. This vaccine's most recent form is known as the DTaP vaccination for children and the Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults.
One of the children immunizations that doctors in the United States suggest during infancy is the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine. Vaccination consists of a series of five injections, usually delivered in the arm or thigh, given to children of the following ages:
2 months
4 months
6 months
between 15 and 18 months
four to six years
Diphtheria vaccination is helpful in preventing the disease. However, there may be some unintended consequences. Following a DTaP shot, some children may feel a minor temperature, fussiness, sleepiness, or pain at the injection site. Inquire with your doctor about what you can do for your kid to mitigate or alleviate these effects.
Complications are quite rare. The DTaP vaccination can cause significant but curable consequences in children in rare situations, such as an allergic response (hives or a rash develops within minutes of the injection).
Some youngsters, such as those suffering from epilepsy or another nervous system disorder, may be unable to get the DTaP vaccination.
Booster shots
Following the original round of immunizations received as a kid, you will require booster injections of the diphtheria vaccine to help you retain your protection. This is because diphtheria immunity decreases with time.
Children who received all of the required immunizations before the age of seven should have their first booster injection around the age of eleven or twelve. The next booster dose is prescribed 10 years later, and then every 10 years after that. Booster injections are especially crucial if you are traveling to a location where diphtheria is prevalent.
The booster is administered as a Tdap vaccination or as a diphtheria booster in conjunction with a tetanus booster — the tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine. This combination vaccination is administered through injection, often into the arm or thigh.
Tdap is an alternative vaccination for teenagers aged 11 to 18, as well as adults who have never received a Tdap booster. It is also advised to be administered once during pregnancy, regardless of previous vaccines.
If you are unclear about your immunization status, see your doctor regarding vaccinations and booster doses. For children aged 7 to 10, who have not completed the Td series, a Tdap vaccination may be suggested as part of the Td series.