Diphtheria, an Upper Respiratory Tract Illness

Diphtheria an upper respiratory tract illness is a contagious bacterial infection which affects the nose and throat and sometimes may also affect the skin. Being contagious, the bacteria can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes where the droplets of their saliva may affect another person’s nose or mouth.

The person may experience a sore throat, low fever and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx or even nasal cavity. A milder version of diphtheria may also affect the skin and less common situation may include myocarditis and peripheral neuropath.

It can spread by direct physical contact or breathing the aerosolized secretion of the person who is affected with diphtheria. Diphtheria pertussis tetanus -DPT was recommended to all school going children in the U.S.; and boosters of the vaccine for the adults when it had spread in developed countries.

Swabs of Sample Cells for diagnose 

Diagnosing diphtheria can be done by taking a swab of the throat, nose of wound on the skin and the swab is like a cotton bud on which the small sample of cells can be collected. The sample is thereafter examined under a microscope to check for bacteria which may cause diphtheria.

Once confirmed of this ailment, the person needs to be treated immediately to prevent the development of any serious complications.

The symptoms of diphtheria usually tend to begin a couple of days to seven day after the infection sets in, with fever of 38 degree C. or more, chills, tiredness, bluish skin coloration, sore throat, hoarse cough, headache, difficulty in swallowing with painful swallowing, difficulty in breathing, foul smelling blood-stained nasal discharge and lymphadenopathy.

Other symptoms may also include cardiac arrhythmias, myocarditis, cranial and peripheral nerve palsies.

Hospitalization Essential with Isolation 

People with respiratory diphtheria may need to be hospitalized in order to monitor response to the treatment and manage complications if any. DAT or Equine diphtheria antitoxin being the mainstay of treatment is administered after specimen testing is carried out without waiting for laboratory confirmation.

DAT is available in the United States to physicians only under an investigational new drug protocol on contacting CDC at a given number on 770-488-7100.

To reduce communicability, to eliminate the causative organisms, and to stop exotoxin production, an antibiotic is given for the same together with supportive care- i.e. airway cardiac monitoring is essential.

Those in close contact with the diphtheria patient are recommended antimicrobial prophylaxis to avoid attracting the ailment.

Antibiotic and antitoxin medicine is used in the treatment of diphtheria and the person suspected of suffering from this ailment is kept in isolation when they are admitted in the hospital.

Vaccine Programme Introduced in 1940

Diphtheria was very common ailment and also the leading causes of death in young children, before the vaccination programme was introduced in the year 1940 and it had been successful and thereafter since 1986, there has been on fifteen recorded cases of diphtheria in England and Wales with no deaths.

If the doctor diagnoses the condition they need to tell the local authority since diphtheria is considered a contagious disease and precaution needs to be taken to avoid spreading of the disease.