DIPHTHERIA : TAKE A TOUR OF IMFORMATION ABOUT IT

OVERVIEW

Diphtheria, a kind of serious bacterial infection usually affects an individual’s nose and throat, specifically their mucous membrane.

The causative agent of this type of bacterial infection is a bacteria of Corynebacterium family. The name of the bacteria causing this type of bacterial infection is Corynebacterium diphtheria. This bacteria spreads the infection in an individual’s body by secreting a type of toxin, in simpler terms by secreting a type of poison that is known as exotoxin (diphtheria toxin)

Currently this type of serious bacterial infection is endemic in many eastern continents like Asia, South Pacific and Eastern Europe. Earlier this type of bacterial infection was very widespread in the entire world and the world has experienced an epidemic in around 1921 – 1925.

This type of bacterial infection can lead to various serious issues such as difficulty in breathing, various cardiovascular diseases, paralysis and even heart failure and death as well.

Earlier as there was no specific treatment available for this type of bacterial infection, due to this reason the disease was widespread. But over a period of time, with advancing technology in every field, there are various treatments that are discovered for this type of bacterial infection.

The most common and the effective treatment that is available for treating this type of bacterial infection currently is vaccination. There are several vaccination courses that an individual has to do to prevent or to get cured from this type of bacterial infection. The most common vaccination that is available for this type of bacterial infection is DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) vaccine. This vaccine is usually given to individual’s from their childhood period itself so that they remain protected from this type of bacterial infection in future.

 

TYPES OF DIPHTHERIA

As mentioned earlier in this article, diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. It is a very contagious type of bacterial infection and it can be spread very easily. Currently due to the discovery of a very effective vaccine, diphtheria is not as deadly bacterial infection as it was a century ago. There are various types of diphtheria that are present currently. Some of the types of this type of bacterial infection are listed below :

• Laryngeal diphtheria

Laryngeal diphtheria occurs when this type of bacterial infection spreads downwards from the nasopharynx to the larynx. The air – way passage that is present between this can be blocked by this type of bacterial infection in the larynx.

• Classical respiratory diphtheria

Classical respiratory type of bacterial infection affects the throat of the person who is infected by this disease. In this type of bacterial infection the formation of an adherent grey – white pseudomembrane takes place in the throat

• Nasal diphtheria

This type of bacterial infection affects the nasal area of the infected person. It is mild type of infection but in some cases it can be chronic as well. In this type of bacterial infection a nasal discharge takes place, which on the initial stages is clear but in the later on stages as the disease progresses, the nasal discharge becomes stained by blood.

• Cutaneous diphtheria (occurs usually as skin lesions)

This is the most common, dangerous and still widespread in many tropical countries type of bacterial infection. In this shallow skin ulcers that are usually painful appear anywhere on the skin.

The toxins that commonly cause this type of bacterial infection are either Corynebacterium diphtheria, Corynebacterium ulcerans, and it is very rarely caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Such type of toxins (poison) that cause this type of bacterial infection can also cause serious complications such as paralysis and heart failure as well.

 

TRANSMISSION OF DIPHTHERIA

• There are various ways by which this type of bacterial infection can be transmitted
• The most common way of transmission of this type of bacterial infection is by droplet infection (air – borne)
• When the person who is already infected by this type of bacterial infection sneezes or coughs, some of the droplets are released
• When a healthy person inhales these droplets that are released by an infected person, these droplets enter the nasal area of the healthy person
• Form the nasal area the bacteria spreads to entire body and causes various complications in the body of the affected person
• The transmission can also occur through direct contact with the skin lesions that occur in case of cutaneous diphtheria
• This type of serious bacterial infection can also be transmitted indirectly
• If an infected person who is infected by this type of bacterial infection touches a specific object or any specific item and if a healthy person touches the same object or item then there are maximum chances that the healthy person can also get infected by this serious type of bacterial infection

 

SYMPTOMS OF DIPHTHERIA

The type of symptoms that a person has entirely depends on the type of bacterial infection that person is having. The most common type of symptom that occurs in this type of bacterial infection is restlessness and difficulty in breathing. There are various other symptoms that occur in this type of bacterial infection. Some of the common signs and symptoms that occur in a person who is infected by this type of bacterial infection are listed below :

• A low temperature ( fever ranging about 38 degree C or more)
• A noticeable thick grey – white coating a the back side of the infected person’s throat
• Feeling sick
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Swollen glands in the neck
• Tonsillitis
• Difficulty in breathing
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Large ulcers on the skin surrounded by red and sore – looking skin
• Pus – filled blisters on the infected person’s legs, feet and hands usually.

 

DIAGNOSIS OF DIPHTHERIA

If a person is suspected to have this type of serious bacterial infection, he may be advised by his or her doctor to undergo some of the diagnostic tests to diagnose this type of bacterial infection. There are various diagnostic tests available for diagnosis. Some of the diagnostic tests that are available for the diagnosis of this type of bacterial infection are listed below :

• Throat swab
• Biopsy
• Physical examination
• Taking sample of tissue from infected wound
• Taking skin exudate from the skin lesions

 

TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA

There are various treatments that are available for this type of serious bacterial infection. The most common and the most effective treatment that is available for this type of bacterial infection is the DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) vaccine. Some of the common treatments that are available for this type of serious bacterial infection are listed below :

• Antibiotics course
• An antitoxin
• DPT vaccine
• Anti – convulsions