Diphtheria

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Diphtheria
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Diphtheria

• Diphtheria is a disease which is caused by
  bacterial infection that spreads easily and
  happens quickly. This disease can mainly affect
  the nose and throat. Children under the age of 5
  and adults over 60 years old are specifically at
  risk for having the infection.Those people who
  are living in crowded or unclean conditions,
  those who aren't well nourished or children and
  adults who don't have up to date immunity are
  also at risk.

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Signs Symptoms of Diphtheria

• In its initial stages, diphtheria can be
  misunderstood as a bad sore throat. A low-grade
  fever and swollen neck glands are some of the
  early symptoms of this disease.The toxin or
  poison which is caused by the bacteria can
  further lead to a thick coating in the nose,
  throat, or airway, which makes a diphtheria
  infection different from other common infections
  which can cause sore throat. This coating is
  generally fuzzy gray or black and can cause
  breathing problems and difficulty in
  swallowing.

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Signs Symptoms of Diphtheria
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• As the infection grows, someone can
• have difficulty in breathing or swallowing
• complaint of double vision
• have slurred speech
• In cases that grow beyond a throat infection,
  diphtheria toxin spreads through the bloodstream
  and can lead to potentially life-threatening
  complications that affect other organs, such as
  the heart and kidneys.The toxin can also cause
  an immense damage to the heart which affects its
  ability to pump blood or the kidneys' ability to
  clear wastes. It also can cause nerve damage,
  gradually leading to paralysis.

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Treatment of Diphtheria

• Children and adults who are having diphtheria
  are treated in a hospital. After a doctor advises
  the diagnosis through a throat culture, the
  infected person might get a specific anti-toxin
  which is given through injections to neutralize
  the diphtheria toxin which is already circulating
  in the body, plus antibiotics to kill the
  remaining diphtheria bacteria.People with
  diphtheria will need a ventilator to help them
  breathe if the infection is in advanced state.
  Patients may need intravenous fluids, oxygen, or
  heart medications in cases in which the toxins
  may have spread to the heart, kidneys, or central
  nervous system.A person suffering from
  diphtheria must be isolated. Family members and
  other close contacts who are very young or who
  have not been immunized should be protected from
  contact with the patient.

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Treatment of Diphtheria
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• The doctor will notify the local health
  department and treat everyone in the household
  who may have been exposed to the bacteria, when
  someone is diagnosed with diphtheria.The
  assessment of immune status, throat cultures, and
  booster doses of the diphtheria vaccine will be
  taken as a treatment option. They will also
  receive antibiotics as a precaution.An early
  intervention and immediate hospitalization allows
  most of the patients to recover from diphtheria.
  After the effect of antibiotics and anti-toxins,
  someone with diphtheria will need bed rest for a
  while (4 to 6 weeks, or until full
  recovery).Bed rest is very important if someone
  develops myocarditis (inflammation of the heart
  muscle), which can be a complication of
  diphtheria.

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