DIPHTHERIA

GROUP 6
 DESCRIPTION
• Diphtheria is an
infectious disease caused
by the bacterium
Corynebacterium
diphtheria, which
primarily infects the
throat and upper airways,
and produces a toxin
affecting other organs.
•The illness has an acute
onset and the main
characteristics are sore
throat, low fever and swollen
glands in the neck, and the
toxin may, in severe cases,
•The diphtheria toxin causes a
membrane of dead tissue to build
up over the throat and tonsils,
making breathing and swallowing
difficult. The disease is spread
through direct physical contact or
from breathing in the aerosolized
secretions from coughs or
 CLINICAL MANIFESTATION/
IDENTIFICATION
• The two major sites
of infection are the
respiratory mucosa
and skin, rarely
extra-respiratory
mucosal sites (e.g.
eye, ear, or genitals)
can also be affected.
 RESPIRATORY DIPHTHERIA

• The incubation time of respiratory

diphtheria is 2-5 days and initial
symptoms include sore throat, malaise,
and low-grade fever.
 CLINICAL MANIFESTATION

• presence of a
grayish-white,
fibrinous and firmly
adherent
pseudomembrane
that forms within the
first few days and
spans over the
tonsils, the pharynx,
 LARYNGEAL DIPHTHERIA

• characterized by gradually increasing

hoarseness and stridor and most
commonly occurs as an extension of
pharyngeal involvement in children.
NASAL DIPHTHERIA,

• Usually mild and chronic, is marked by uni- or bilateral nasal discharge,

which is initially clear and later becomes bloody.
• With disease progression, the membrane
may become necrotic and exhibit green
and black patches. Attempts to dislodge it
usually result in bleeding.
• Extension of the membrane correlates
with disease severity and suffocation
following accidental aspiration is a
common source of death.
• Marked swellings of cervical lymph nodes
(lymphadenitis) and swelling of the
surrounding soft-tissue give rise to the
characteristic “bull-neck” appearance. If
untreated, the disease usually lasts for 1-2
weeks and the case fatality rate is about 10%.
 MANAGEMENT OF A PATIENT WITH
SUSPECTED DIPHTHERIA INCLUDES:
• Administration of diphtheria antitoxin as soon as possible after testing for
hypersensitivity to horse serum; early administration of appropriate
antitoxin critical for survival;
Confirmation of the diagnosis through appropriate bacterial cultures;
Administration of antibiotics; and
Appropriate supportive care including special attention to maintaining an
adequate airway in the presence of laryngeal or extensive pharyngeal
membranes and to careful monitoring for cardiac rhythm disturbances or
other manifestations of myocarditis.