Diphtheria is a relatively rare but serious infectious disease that causes inflammation and airway damage, which can also affect the skin, and is most common in children between 1 and 4 years of age, although it can occur at any age.
This disease is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which produces toxins that pass through the bloodstream and can reach various parts of the body, but usually affect the nose, throat, tongue and airways.such as the heart, brain or kidneys, for example.
- Diphtheria can be easily transmitted from person to person through the coughing or sneezing of infected people.
- For example.
- And in some cases by eating contaminated food or contact with clothing and toys infected with the bacteria.
Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible to avoid injury to affected organs and facilitate the elimination of bacteria and is usually done with antibiotics prescribed by a family doctor or an infectious disease.
Signs and symptoms that may indicate a diphtheria infection include
Symptoms appear 3 to 6 days after exposure to bacteria, and it is recommended to go to the emergency room as soon as the first symptoms of suspicion appear, so that the infection can be treated to prevent aggravation and transmission of the disease to others.People.
Diphtheria is an infectious disease, meaning it can be easily transmitted from person to person, especially when talking, coughing, sneezing or coming into contact with someone infected with the disease.bacteria.
Typically, the diagnosis of diphtheria begins with a physical evaluation, performed by the doctor, but tests may also be requested to confirm the infection, so it is common for the doctor to order a blood test and throat secretion culture, which must come from one of the plaques present in the throat and should be removed by a qualified professional.
The culture of throat secretion is designed to identify the presence of the bacteria and, when positive, an antibiotic is performed to define which antibiotic is best suited to treat the infection, due to the bacteria’s ability to spread rapidly through the bloodstream., your doctor may order a blood culture to determine if the infection has already reached your bloodstream.
Treatment of diphtheria is done on a medical recommendation, and antibiotics are usually indicated to kill bacteria, such as penicillin or erythromycin, in addition to rest.
Recovery from infection usually takes time, and when symptoms are more severe, treatment may need to be done in the hospital and breathing may even be necessary through devices.Learn more about diphtheria treatment.
The main way to prevent diphtheria is vaccination, which in addition to protecting against diphtheria also protects against tetanus and whooping cough.This vaccine should be given at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months of age and should be withdrawn at 4 and 4 months.then every 10 years. Learn more about the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine.
If the person has come into contact with a diphtheria patient, it is important to go to the hospital for the injection of diphtheria antitoxin and thus avoid aggravation and transmission of the disease to others, although they are more common in children, adults who are not vaccinated against diphtheria or who have a weakened immune system are more likely to become infected with Corynebacriumte diphtheriae.