Diphtheria.biz - All You Have to Know about Diphtheria
According to the dictionaries is an upper respiratory tract illness characterized by sore throat, low fever and the so-called adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx or nasal cavity.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. It may affect different organs such as the nose and throat and may be resulted in a bad sore throat, swollen glands, low fever and chills. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. When dealing with diphtheria we notice that the back of your throat is expressed by thick gray covering.
Naturally that can make breathing difficult. Your
skin may also be infected with diphtheria. Long time ago, before using
any vaccines, diphtheria was a major reason for death among kids. Today,
diphtheria you can seldom
observe diphtheria in the United States and other developed countries
due to widespread vaccination against the disease. Although betwen1980
and 2000 there were 52 cases reported. A Fewer than five cases occur
in the United States each year, but diphtheria bacteria still exist
in the world and can cause death if vaccination is not performed in
a proper way.
The bacteria causing diphtheria is usually transmitted in droplets of moisture coughed into the air. In other words you may catch the virus only from the infected person while being in the same room for a long time with the windows closed. In most cases the bacteria exists on or near the mucous membranes of the mouth or throat, where the inflammation begins. Some types of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria produce a certain toxin, which is likely to damage the heart, kidneys, and even nervous system. We do define two forms of diphtheria: a mild one and a severe one. A milder form of diphtheria affects only the skin. This form is more wide-spread among people with bad hygiene.
As mentioned above, diphtheria is an infection that influences on the tonsils, pharynx, nose, and skin. It is able to produce a thick membrane which is likely to cover the area of inflammation. Small children, grown-ups (over 60) are particularly at risk for catching the diphtheria infection. Crowded or dirty conditions may also contribute to the appearance of the infection. Children and adults who don't perform regular immunizations can easily be infected. Everyone has to be careful when dealing with diphtheria. In other words what are the causes of diphtheria?
As we mentioned above, transmission of diphtheria usually takes place due to the respiratory droplets from asymptomatic carriers or convalescing patients. A lot of people though just carry this disease not contracting active infection. Keep in mind that diphtheria can also be spread by certain objects like contaminated milk. Health and poverty are closely aligned, and you can feel why diphtheria is a big problem in developing nations. The most serious complications are caused by a toxin produced by the diphtheria bacterium that can damage other organs such as the heart, nervous system or the kidneys. Very seldom a person can catch diphtheria through contaminated food. Anyway these cases have also been reported. Children of preschool age more often show the signs of diphtheria than other groups of people. The infection could also be spread via the bloodstream to other organs, where it can cause significant damage. The bacteria mostly infect the nose and throat, although they may initially infect the skin. A nasal discharge and excoriated skin around the nose may be observed.
5-year-old kids and grown-ups over 60 years of age and who have not received immunization are at an increased risk of the disease.
Anyway we do observe the lack of routine immunization among the children aged 6-12 months. Due to this the risk of catching an illness has increased.
Try to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs because they influence your immune system leading to an increased risk of diphtheria.
Homosexual men are also among increased incidence rates.
Avoid contaminated areas, or areas with poor hygiene. As diphtheria is most common in areas where people live in crowded conditions with bad sanitation.
We are to define two types of diphtheria. It is clarified due to the organs involved. For example, one type concerns the nose and throat. The other one involves sore throat, fever and swollen lymph glands in the neck as major symptoms of diphtheria. In other words we are to deal with mild form and severe form. In a severe form grey membrane is expressed on the throat making breathing really difficult. We sometimes deal with cutaneous diphtheria, which is more likely to involve skin. In this case we observe developing sores. Some breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis and sometimes death can be the result of diphtheria. In other cases we come across the mentioned above fever, hoarseness, chills and painful swallowing.
So if in some forms the disease seems to be rather serious we are aware of the possible methods of treatment. Sometimes the most well-known antibiotics can be prescribed. For example, doctors usually advise penicillin and erythromycin. You may also use a diphtheria antitoxin for treatment. In case the heart or nervous system has been involved patients are isolated and intensive care support is performed. The recovered patients are usually given diphtheria vaccine in order to protect them from repeated diphtheria. In some cases a person may require minimal treatment or care. But still any signs of diphtheria should not be left without attention.
Sometimes tube feedings and suctioning are needed. Others require a tracheostomy. Anyway doctors recommend strict bed rest for the patients suffering from diphtheria. This bed period should be at least a couple of weeks. Moreover you’d better monitor your heart a few times a week to make sure there is no damage to the heart.
Among the most popular vaccines Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis and Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis vaccines should be named. They are able to protect people to a certain extent from diphtheria. To guard against certain complicating factors the mentioned above penicillin or erythromycin are given. Complicating factors are usually those of pneumonia or even streptococcal infection. That’s why diphtheria vaccination should be necessarily given to patients to prevent any possible signs of diphtheria.