Diphtheria

Diphtheria can be severely contagious and should not be taken very lightly. Bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheria are responsible for this disease. Diphtheria affects the respiratory track like the nose, voice box, throat, upper windpipe and also the skin. This disease is not restricted to any particular age or person. It can affect to anyone at any time and can be life threatening.
In UK this is occasionally reported as immunization is given to everyone from childhood since 1940s. It however still exist in some parts of the world like South America, South east Asia, parts of India, several countries in Eastern Europe, where the conditions of living are unhealthy and poor.
Triple vaccination is given to two, three and four months old babies to protect them against diphtheria in UK. Between the age of 16 and 18 years booster doses are also given. This vaccination is very successful in the western countries, which often makes people unaware of this disease.
Symptoms
Once you come in contact with the infection the affect can come at any time. Symptoms usually start between the first and the ninth day. You may fall severely ill which are the first signs of Diphtheria. Few other symptoms include swollen neck glands, soar throat, rapid pulse, hard to swallow food, headache. The neck gets wider as the neck lymph nodes get swollen, which is also called as Bull-neck. At times the body can undergo shock which results in rapid heart beat, low blood preassure, paleness, sweating and cold skin. Incase the infection is affected only the nose, it can cause bloodstained disc charge and nasty smell. Usually the bacteria attack only the throat and seldom the skin specifically open wounds or burns.
A Membrane in the throat is formed by clotted serum, bacteria, white cells and dead surface tissue cells, which covers the tonsils. This sticks to the surface so firmly that it you try to remove it with forceps, it can cause bleeding. This can block upper air passage which in turn restricts breathing. This can cause emergency.
Cutaneous Diphtheria: This affects only the skin and is very rare; it appears on the lower part of the hands, feet and legs. You can find blister and pus filled spots on the skin surface and this form into an ulcer which can go up to several centimeters. It can be painful for the initial 15 -20 days.
Fluids which are infected such as the pus and blood are the carriers of Diphtheria bacteria and it can spread through wounds or burns. It take 2-3 months for the ulcers to heal but will leave a scar.
Causes
Corynebacterium diphtheria is a germ and it causes diphtheria, which infects the throat and sometimes the skin. This is a very contagious disease as it easily passes from one person to another through coughs and tiny droplets in sneezes. It can also spread by touching any object used by the infected person like tissue, cups or by having a face to face contact. The moist parts of the throat and mouth are the favorable areas where the bacteria grow and multiply causing inflammation. An affected person may be infectious between two and four weeks. Even if there are no symptoms, there are possibilities that he has been carrying the bacteria for a long time.