Diphtheria

Find out why Mayo Clinic is the right place for your health care. Make an appointment..

Find a directory of doctors and departments at all Mayo Clinic campuses. Visit now..

See how Mayo Clinic research and clinical trials advance the science of medicine and improve patient care. Explore now..

Educators at Mayo Clinic train tomorrow’s leaders to deliver compassionate, high-value, safe patient care. Choose a degree..

Explore Mayo Clinic’s many resources and see jobs available for medical professionals. Get updates..

Your support accelerates powerful innovations in patient care, research and education. Give today..

One sign of diphtheria is swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in the neck.

Diphtheria (dif-THEER-e-uh) is a serious bacterial infection usually affecting the mucous membranes of your nose and throat. Diphtheria typically causes a sore throat, fever, swollen glands and weakness. But the hallmark sign is a sheet of thick, gray material covering the back of your throat, which can block your airway, causing you to struggle for breath.

Diphtheria is extremely rare in the United States and other developed countries, thanks to widespread vaccination against the disease.

Medications are available to treat diphtheria. However, in advanced stages, diphtheria can damage your heart, kidneys and nervous system. Even with treatment, diphtheria can be deadly — up to 3 percent of people who get diphtheria die of it. The rate is higher for children under 15.

Diphtheria signs and symptoms usually begin two to five days after a person becomes infected and may include:

In some people, infection with diphtheria-causing bacteria causes only a mild illness — or no obvious signs and symptoms at all. Infected people who remain unaware of their illness are known as carriers of diphtheria, because they can spread the infection without being sick themselves.

A second type of diphtheria can affect the skin, causing the typical pain, redness and swelling associated with other bacterial skin infections. Ulcers covered by a gray membrane also may develop in cutaneous diphtheria.

Although it’s more common in tropical climates, cutaneous diphtheria also occurs in the United States, particularly among people with poor hygiene who live in crowded conditions.

Call your family doctor immediately if you or your child has been exposed to someone with diphtheria. If you’re not sure whether your child has been vaccinated against diphtheria, schedule an appointment. Make sure your own immunizations are current.

The bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae causes diphtheria. Usually C. diphtheriae multiplies on or near the surface of the mucous membranes of the throat. C. diphtheriae spreads via three routes:

You can also come in contact with diphtheria-causing bacteria by touching an infected wound.

People who have been infected by the diphtheria bacteria and who haven’t been treated can infect nonimmune people for up to six weeks — even if they don’t show any symptoms.

People who are at increased risk of contracting diphtheria include:

Diphtheria rarely occurs in the United States and Western Europe, where health officials have been vaccinating children against the condition for decades. However, diphtheria is still common in developing countries where immunization rates are low.

In areas where diphtheria vaccination is standard, the disease is mainly a threat to unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated people who travel internationally or have contact with people from less-developed countries.

Left untreated, diphtheria can lead to:

With treatment, most people with diphtheria survive these complications, but recovery is often slow. Diphtheria is fatal in as many as 3 percent of those who get the disease.

Before antibiotics were available, diphtheria was a common illness in young children. Today, the disease is not only treatable but is also preventable with a vaccine.

The diphtheria vaccine is usually combined with vaccines for tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis). The three-in-one vaccine is known as the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine. The latest version of this vaccine is known as the DTaP vaccine for children and the Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults.

The diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine is one of the childhood immunizations that doctors in the United States recommend during infancy. Vaccination consists of a series of five shots, typically administered in the arm or thigh, given to children at these ages:

The diphtheria vaccine is effective at preventing diphtheria. But there may be some side effects. Some children may experience a mild fever, fussiness, drowsiness or tenderness at the injection site after a DTaP shot. Ask your doctor what you can do for your child to minimize or relieve these effects.

Rarely, the DTaP vaccine causes serious complications in a child, such as an allergic reaction (hives or a rash develops within minutes of the injection), seizures or shock — complications that are treatable.

Some children — such as those with epilepsy or another nervous system condition — may not be candidates for the DTaP vaccine.

After the initial series of immunizations in childhood, you need booster shots of the diphtheria vaccine to help you maintain immunity. That’s because immunity to diphtheria fades with time.

Children who received all of the recommended immunizations before age 7 should receive their first booster shot at around age 11 or 12. The next booster shot is recommended 10 years later, then repeated at 10-year intervals. Booster shots are particularly important if you travel to an area where diphtheria is common.

The diphtheria booster is combined with the tetanus booster — the tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine. This combination vaccine is given by injection, usually into the arm or thigh.

Tdap is a combined tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. It’s a one-time alternative vaccine for adolescents age 11 through 18 and adults who haven’t previously had a Tdap booster. It’s also recommended for anyone who’s pregnant, regardless of previous vaccination status.

Talk to your doctor about vaccines and booster shots if you’re unsure of your vaccination status. Tdap may also be recommended as part of the Td series for children ages 7 through 10 who aren’t up to date with the vaccine schedule.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.

Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.

A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. “Mayo,” “Mayo Clinic,” “MayoClinic.org,” “Mayo Clinic Healthy Living,” and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.

Diphtheria

Research & References of Diphtheria|A&C Accounting And Tax Services
Source

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us