Diphtheria is a relatively rare, but serious, infectious disease that causes inflammation and damage to the respiratory tract, which can also affect the skin, and is more common in children between 1 and 4 years of age, although it can happen at all ages.
This disease is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae , which produces toxins that pass into the bloodstream and can reach various parts of the body, but which generally affect the nose, throat, tongue and airways. More rarely, toxins can also affect other organs, such as the heart, brain or kidneys, for example.
Diphtheria can be easily transmitted from person to person by coughing or sneezing from contaminated people, for example, and, in some cases, due to the consumption of contaminated food or contact with clothes and toys infected by the bacteria.
Treatment should be started as soon as possible to avoid damage to the affected organs and to facilitate the elimination of the bacteria and is usually done using antibiotics prescribed by a general practitioner or infectious disease.
Main symptoms
The signs and symptoms that may indicate an infection with diphtheria are:
- Formation of grayish plaques in the region of the tonsils; Inflammation and sore throat, especially when swallowing; Swelling of the neck with sore waters; High fever, above 38ºC; Runny nose with blood; Wounds and red spots on the skin; Bluish color on the skin by lack of oxygen in the blood; Nausea and vomiting; Runny nose; Headache; Difficulty breathing.
Symptoms appear 3 to 6 days after exposure to the bacteria, and it is recommended to go to the emergency room as soon as the first suspicious symptoms appear, so that the infection can be treated and, thus, prevent the worsening and transmission of the disease to other people.
Diphtheria is an infectious disease, that is, it can be transmitted from person to person easily, especially when talking, coughing, sneezing or coming into contact with a person infected by the bacteria.
How to confirm the diagnosis
Normally the diagnosis of diphtheria is started with a physical evaluation, made by the doctor, but tests can also be ordered to confirm the infection. Thus, it is common for the doctor to order a blood test and a throat secretion culture, which must come from one of the plaques present in the throat and must be collected by a trained professional.
The culture of the secretion of the throat aims to identify the presence of the bacteria and, when positive, an antibiogram is made to define which antibiotic is most suitable to treat the infection. Due to the bacteria's ability to spread quickly into the bloodstream, the doctor may request a blood culture to identify whether the infection has already reached the blood.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for diphtheria is done according to the medical recommendation, and the use of antibiotics is normally indicated in order to eliminate the bacteria, such as Penicillin or Erythromycin, in addition to rest.
Usually the recovery from the infection takes time and, when the symptoms are more severe, it may be necessary for the treatment to be carried out while in hospital, and it may even be necessary for the breathing to be done with the aid of devices. Find out more details about diphtheria treatment.
How to prevent infection
The main way of preventing diphtheria is through vaccination which, in addition to protecting against diphtheria, also protects against tetanus and pertussis. This vaccine should be applied at 2, 4 6 and 15 months of age, and should be boosted at 4 and then every 10 years. Learn more about the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
If the person has come into contact with a patient with diphtheria, it is important to go to the hospital to administer the diphtheria antitoxin injection and, thus, prevent the worsening and transmission of the disease to other people. Despite being more common in children, adults who do not have the vaccine against diphtheria or have a weakened immune system, are more susceptible to infection with Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
