CONDITIONS
Diphtheria
Diphtheria
What are the symptoms of diphtheria?
Typically, symptom occurrence might occur 2-5 days post exposure of the infection while the length of the symptom can be anywhere between 1 to 10 days. Common diphtheria symptoms include:
- Sore throat and sometime throat pain.
- Weakness or fatigue.
- Fever.
- Swollen neck glands.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
- Nasal discharge
- Fever and chills
- Nerve, kidney or heart problems (if the bacteria enters your bloodstream).
One type of bacteria is the skin (cutaneous) diphtheria that causes causing pain, redness and swelling at the skin. Sometimes, ulcers with grey membrane may also be seen. Skin diphtheria generally occurs because of poor hygiene.
What are the causes of diphtheria?
Caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae, diphtheria usually spreads when the bacteria multiply on or near the surface of the throat or skin spreading by:
- When a person coughs or sneezes via the droplets discharged into the air and breathed into the lungs of a nearby person.
- Contaminated personal or household items such as towels.
Who is at risk of diphtheria?
Diphteria hardly occurs in developed countries where vaccinations have been given since decades. However, following people may be more prone to getting infections:
- Children and adults with latest vaccinations
- People living in crowded or unsanitary conditions
- Person traveling to an area with diphtheria infections.
How is diphtheria diagnosed?
How is diphtheria treated?
- Treatment includes using diphtheria antitoxin to stop the bacteria toxin from damaging the body. This treatment may be used for skin diphtheria but is vital for respiratory diphtheria.
- Antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bacteria in both cases – skin and respiratory.
People with diphtheria usually do not transmit infection 48 hours post antibiotics. However, completing the course of antibiotics is necessary for complete eradication of the bacteria from the body. A post treatment test may be advised by the doctor to check for presence of bacteria.
How can diphtheria be prevented?
Are there any programs in India?
References
- Gupta, Akshita; Gujral, Meher; Singh, Ajay; Chawla, Kiran. Diphtheria resurgence in India: A case study from south Karnataka. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, November 2020; 9(11):p 5776-5778.
- Diphtheria. Mayo Clinic. January 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diphtheria/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351903
- Diphtheria. Cleveland Clinic. January 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17870-diphtheria
- Devanga Ragupathi NK, Muthuirulandi Sethuvel DP, Murugan D, Ranjan R, Gautam V, Gupta P, et al. (2021) Divergent evolution of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in India: An update from National Diphtheria Surveillance network. PLoS ONE 16(12): e0261435.
