Diphtheria

Main characteristics and symptoms:

Nasal forms: Similar to the common cold, with runny nose and fever. The way pharyngotonsillar is the most frequent, with fever, malaise - being and sore throat.

Laryngeal Form: Sets a framework acute laryngeal, dry cough, hoarseness, stridor (noise caused by larynx during the passage of air) and difficulty breathing.

Involvement in other areas: The skin is most common. Vagina, ear and eye conjunctiva are rarely affected by diphtheria bacilli.

Incubation: Between two and four weeks from the beginning of development.

Transmission to: For intimate contact, as well as droplets and nasopharyngeal secretions.

Treatment aims to fundamentally eradicate the infectious agent. It relies on the use of diphtheria serum and antibiotics. General therapeutic measures relate to food, moisture and hygiene.

Isolation: With the use of a specific treatment, the isolation can be suspended in the order of 2 to 3 days.

Complications in children: It predominantly affects children living in poor hygiene conditions, and is defined clinically localized skin presence of pseudomembrane, start, almost always in the pharynx.

Complications in adults may observe evidence of the involvement of multiple organs and tissues in diphtheria. The most common complications and greater clinical significance are related to the heart, nervous system, kidneys, the adrenal glands to. The airway obstruction by secretions accumulated pseudomembranes and is a frequent cause of death.

Prevention: Vaccine.

Immunity: Vaccine or infection.