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DIPHTHERIA
Diphtheria is an acute childhood
infectious disease caused by
toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium
diphtheriae. Diphtheria particularly
affects children aged 1 to 5 and
some time up to 15 years
Causative Agent
Diphtheria is caused by a bacteria
Corynebacterium diphtheriae. it is a
gram-positive bacteria. Four types of
diphtheria bacilli are differentiated -
gravis, mitis, belfanti and intermedius,
all are pathogenic to human being
How it spreads
The source of infection may be a case or
carrier:
(i) CASE : patients may be clinical or
subclinical . Mild cases having no more than a
mere running nose or sore throat
 (ii) CARRIER : Carriers are common sources
of infection, their ratio is estimated to be 95
carriers for 5 clinical cases
How it spreads
 Mode of transmission is –
 Droplet infection.
 Direct contact
 Indirect contact
 Unless treated, the period of infectivity may vary from
14 to 28 days from the onset of the disease, but carriers
may remain infective for much longer periods
Incubation Period
The incubation period of
diphtheria is 2 to 6 days.
Some times it may be longer
Sign and symptoms
Diphtheria may affect nasal, pharyngeal or
laryngeal mucosa and patient usually have
 Sore throat,
 Difficulty in swallowing, and
 Low grade fever
throat may show mild erythema, localized
exudate, or a pseudo-membrane.
Sign and symptoms
The pseudo membrane may be a patch on
the posterior pharynx or tonsil. it may cover
the entire tonsil, or, less frequently, may
spread to cover the soft and hard palates and
the posterior portion of the pharynx. In the
early stage the pseudo-membrane may be
whitish and may wipe off easily.
Sign and symptoms
Later the membrane may become thick, blue-
white to grey-black, and adherent. Attempts to
remove the membrane result in bleeding.
Patients with severe disease may have
marked oedema of the submandibular area
and the anterior portion of the neck, along with
lymphadenopathy
Sign and symptoms
Distant toxic damage, it may damage heart
muscle, liver, kidneys, and adrenals,
sometimes accompanied by gross
haemorrhage.
Irregularities of cardiac rhythm indicate
damage to the heart.
Sign and symptoms
 Later, there may be difficulties with vision,
speech, swallowing, or movement of the arms
or legs.
The toxin also produces nerve damage,
resulting often in paralysis of the soft palate,
eye muscles, or extremities
Sign and symptoms
Some times Non-respiratory diphtheria may
affect mucus memberane of the conjunctiva
and genitals and skin lesions.
 The presenting skin lesion is often an ulcer
that may be surrounded by erythema and
covered with a membrane.
Diagnostic
Investigation
Presence of sign and symptoms are
suggestive of diphtheria.
Nasal/oral sab for bacteriological
examination to confirm the diagnosis.
Open sore sample can also be tested in
case of cutaneous diphtheria.
Treatment
Antitoxin is helpful to counter the
effects of toxin.
Antibiotics are also prescribed to kill
bacteria present in tissues. Penicillin
and erythromycin are drugs of choice
Control and
prevention
 The best control measures for diphtheria
are notifications and isolation of patient
for infective period.
There is effective vaccine against
diphtheria that is available in combination
vaccines as DPT or pentavalent vaccine
Control and
prevention
 health education regarding routine
immunization is important in
prevention of diphtheria as vaccine
against diphtheria is included in
national immunization schedule in
India.
Control and
prevention
Concurrent disinfection: Of all articles in
contact with patient and all articles soiled
by discharges of patient .
Terminal disinfection: Of all articles in
contact with patient and unit should be
disinfected after discharge of the patient.
Control and
prevention
Management of contacts: All close
contacts should have cultures taken from
nose and throat and be kept under
surveillance for 7 days. a 7–10 day course
of erythromycin (PO, 40 mg/kg/day for
children and 1 gram/day for adults) is
recommended for all persons with
household exposure to diphtheria
By – SURESH KUMAR ( Nursing Tutor )

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Diphtheria in english

  • 2. DIPHTHERIA Diphtheria is an acute childhood infectious disease caused by toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Diphtheria particularly affects children aged 1 to 5 and some time up to 15 years
  • 3. Causative Agent Diphtheria is caused by a bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. it is a gram-positive bacteria. Four types of diphtheria bacilli are differentiated - gravis, mitis, belfanti and intermedius, all are pathogenic to human being
  • 4. How it spreads The source of infection may be a case or carrier: (i) CASE : patients may be clinical or subclinical . Mild cases having no more than a mere running nose or sore throat  (ii) CARRIER : Carriers are common sources of infection, their ratio is estimated to be 95 carriers for 5 clinical cases
  • 5. How it spreads  Mode of transmission is –  Droplet infection.  Direct contact  Indirect contact  Unless treated, the period of infectivity may vary from 14 to 28 days from the onset of the disease, but carriers may remain infective for much longer periods
  • 6. Incubation Period The incubation period of diphtheria is 2 to 6 days. Some times it may be longer
  • 7. Sign and symptoms Diphtheria may affect nasal, pharyngeal or laryngeal mucosa and patient usually have  Sore throat,  Difficulty in swallowing, and  Low grade fever throat may show mild erythema, localized exudate, or a pseudo-membrane.
  • 8. Sign and symptoms The pseudo membrane may be a patch on the posterior pharynx or tonsil. it may cover the entire tonsil, or, less frequently, may spread to cover the soft and hard palates and the posterior portion of the pharynx. In the early stage the pseudo-membrane may be whitish and may wipe off easily.
  • 9. Sign and symptoms Later the membrane may become thick, blue- white to grey-black, and adherent. Attempts to remove the membrane result in bleeding. Patients with severe disease may have marked oedema of the submandibular area and the anterior portion of the neck, along with lymphadenopathy
  • 10. Sign and symptoms Distant toxic damage, it may damage heart muscle, liver, kidneys, and adrenals, sometimes accompanied by gross haemorrhage. Irregularities of cardiac rhythm indicate damage to the heart.
  • 11. Sign and symptoms  Later, there may be difficulties with vision, speech, swallowing, or movement of the arms or legs. The toxin also produces nerve damage, resulting often in paralysis of the soft palate, eye muscles, or extremities
  • 12. Sign and symptoms Some times Non-respiratory diphtheria may affect mucus memberane of the conjunctiva and genitals and skin lesions.  The presenting skin lesion is often an ulcer that may be surrounded by erythema and covered with a membrane.
  • 13. Diagnostic Investigation Presence of sign and symptoms are suggestive of diphtheria. Nasal/oral sab for bacteriological examination to confirm the diagnosis. Open sore sample can also be tested in case of cutaneous diphtheria.
  • 14. Treatment Antitoxin is helpful to counter the effects of toxin. Antibiotics are also prescribed to kill bacteria present in tissues. Penicillin and erythromycin are drugs of choice
  • 15. Control and prevention  The best control measures for diphtheria are notifications and isolation of patient for infective period. There is effective vaccine against diphtheria that is available in combination vaccines as DPT or pentavalent vaccine
  • 16. Control and prevention  health education regarding routine immunization is important in prevention of diphtheria as vaccine against diphtheria is included in national immunization schedule in India.
  • 17. Control and prevention Concurrent disinfection: Of all articles in contact with patient and all articles soiled by discharges of patient . Terminal disinfection: Of all articles in contact with patient and unit should be disinfected after discharge of the patient.
  • 18. Control and prevention Management of contacts: All close contacts should have cultures taken from nose and throat and be kept under surveillance for 7 days. a 7–10 day course of erythromycin (PO, 40 mg/kg/day for children and 1 gram/day for adults) is recommended for all persons with household exposure to diphtheria
  • 19. By – SURESH KUMAR ( Nursing Tutor )