Diphtheria is a serious infection causes by a strain of bacteria call Corynebacterium diphtheriae that produces a toxin. The CDC recommends vaccines for infants, children, teens, and adults to prevent this disease. this diseaseis rare in the United States and Western Europe, where children have been vaccinates against the condition for decades. Treatments for this diseasetoday include: using diphtheria antitoxins to prevent toxins made by the bacteria from harming the body; Using antibiotics to kill and get rid of bacteria. Children under the age of 5 and adults over the age of 60 are particularly at risk. The overall case-fatality rate for this diseaseis 5%–10%, with higher mortality rates (up to 20%) in those younger than 5 years and older than 40 years. Cutaneous this disease infections rarely result in severe disease.
Causes of Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an infectious disease causes by a bacterium that spreads from person to person through coughing and sneezing. This bacterium produces a toxin that can damage or destroy the tissues and organs of the human body. A type of this disease affects the throat and sometimes the tonsils. The infection can also affect the skin and, more rarely, elsewhere (ears, genitalia, and conjunctiva). this disease affects people of all ages, but it most often affects children who have not been vaccinating. In temperate climates, diphtheria occurs in the colder months. The disease can be fatal. Between 5% and 10% of diphtheria patients die, even with appropriate treatment. If left untreated, the disease takes even more lives.
Effects of Diphtheria
Diphtheria can affect the respiratory tract (parts of the body involved in breathing) and the skin. In the respiratory tract, it causes a thick, gray coating in the throat or nose. This coating can make breathing and swallowing difficult. Diphtheria infections can cause open sores or shallow ulcers. It is a serious bacterial infection that often affects the mucous glands of the throat and nose. Diphtheria can be treats with medicines. Other types of diphtheria can affect the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling like other bacterial skin infections. Ulcers covered with a gray membrane can also be a sign of skin diphtheria. Diphtheria is rare in the United States and other developed countries because of widespread vaccination against this disease. Many countries with little health care and vaccination system are still affectes by high rates of diphtheria.
Transmission of Diphtheria
Diphtheria is usually spreads by direct contact of people with each other or through the air. It can also spread through contaminated objects. Some people carry the germs without symptoms, but can still spread the disease to others. Three main strains of C. diphtheriae cause different severities of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that a symptom of diphtheria is a layer of gray material that covers the back of the throat. Although rare in the United States, countries reported more than 16,000 trusted-source cases worldwide in 2018.
Vaccination
The diphtheria vaccine is effective for prevention and is available in several formulations. Three or four doses, given along with the tetanus vaccine and pertussis vaccine, are recommended in childhood. Additional doses of the diphtheria-tetanus vaccine are recommended every ten years. Protection can be confirms by measuring antitoxin levels in the blood. In those exposed, diphtheria can be prevented and treated with the antibiotics erythromycin or benzylpenicillin. In severe cases, a tracheostomy is sometimes required to open the airway. This article will provide information about what diphtheria is and what causes it.
It will also look at the symptoms a person can expect, treatment options available, and how a person can help prevent contracting the bacteria. Diagnosis can often be made based on the appearance of the throat with microbiological culture confirmation. The previous infection may not protect against infection. Diphtheria is responsible for both endemic and epidemic diseases and was first described by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. Diphtheria presents as either an upper respiratory tract or skin infection and is caused by the aerobic gram-positive bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria.
Infections
Infection usually occurs during the spring or winter months. It can last for 2-6 weeks without antibiotic treatment. Those most susceptible to infection are those who are not fully immunized or have low antitoxin antibody levels and have been exposed to a carrier or sick person. A carrier is someone whose cultures are positive for diphtheria species but do not exhibit signs and symptoms. As the number of asymptomatic carriers decreases, the number of diphtheria cases decreases as a result. Inform your family doctor as soon as possible if someone from your family has been exposed to this disease. this diseaseis caused by the bacteria named Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The bacteria often grow on the surface of the throat or skin. Make sure that child is vaccinated against it. Make sure your vaccinations are current.
Respiratory system
Diphtheria can affect the respiratory tract (parts of the body involved in breathing) and the skin. In the respiratory tract, it causes a thick, gray coating in the throat or nose. This coating can make breathing and swallowing difficult. Diphtheria infections can cause open sores or shallow ulcers. It is a serious bacterial infection that often affects the mucous glands of the throat and nose. this diseasecan be treated with medicines. Other types of diphtheria can affect the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling like other bacterial skin infections. Ulcers covered with a gray membrane can also be a sign of skin diphtheria.
Diphtheria in US
Diphtheria is rare in the United States and other developed countries because of widespread vaccination against this disease. Many countries with little health care and vaccination system are still affected by high rates of diphtheria. Diphtheria is usually spread by direct contact of people with each other or through the air. It can also spread through contaminated objects. Some people carry the germs without symptoms, but can still spread the disease to others. Three main strains of C. diphtheriae cause different severities of the disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that a symptom of diphtheria is a layer of gray material that covers the back of the throat. Although rare in the United States, countries reported more than 16,000 trusted-source cases worldwide in 2018. The diphtheria vaccine is effective for prevention and is available in several formulations. Three or four doses, given along with the tetanus vaccine and pertussis vaccine, are recommended in childhood. Additional doses of the this disease-tetanus vaccine are recommended every ten years.
Protection
Protection can be confirmed by measuring antitoxin levels in the blood. In those exposed, this diseasecan be prevented and treated with the antibiotics erythromycin or benzylpenicillin. In severe cases, a tracheostomy is sometimes required to open the airway. This article will provide information about what diphtheria is and what causes it. It will also look at the symptoms a person can expect, treatment options available, and how a person can help prevent contracting the bacteria. Diagnosis can often be made based on the appearance of the throat with microbiological culture confirmation. The previous infection may not protect against infection. Diphtheria is responsible for both endemic and epidemic diseases and was first described by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC.
Diagnosis
Diphtheria presents as either an upper respiratory tract or skin infection and is cause by the aerobic gram-positive bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria. Infection usually occurs during the spring or winter months. It can last for 2-6 weeks without antibiotic treatment. Those most susceptible to infection are those who are not fully immunize or have low antitoxin antibody levels and have been expose to a carrier or sick person. A carrier is someone whose cultures are positive for diphtheria species but do not exhibit signs and symptoms. As the number of asymptomatic carriers decreases, the number of this disease cases decreases as a result.
Treatment
Inform your family doctor as soon as possible if someone from your family has been expose to this disease. Diphtheria is cause by the bacteria named Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The bacteria often grow on the surface of the throat or skin. Make sure that child is vaccinate against it. Make sure your vaccinations are current. People who have been infect with the this diseasebacteria and have not been treat can infect people who have not receive the diphtheria vaccine—even if they do not show any symptoms. Human-to-human transmission of diphtheria usually occurs through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Infection occurs by breathing in particles released by an infected person. Contact with any open wounds on the skin can also lead to transmission of diphtheria, but this is rare. Indirect infection may also occur. If an infected person touches a surface or object, the bacteria can remain behind and remain viable. In addition, some evidence suggests that diphtheria has the potential to be zoonotic, but this remains to be confirm.
Spread to Others
People who have been infect with this disease bacteria and have not been treated can infect people who have not to receive this disease vaccine—even if they do not show any symptoms. Human-to-human transmission of this disease usually occurs through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Infection occurs by breathing in particles released by an infected person. Contact with any open wounds on the skin can also lead to transmission of this disease, but this is rare. Indirect infection may also occur. If an infected person touches a surface or object, the bacteria can remain behind and remain viable. In addition, some evidence suggests that this disease has the potential to be zoonotic, but this remains to be confirms.