Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which produces a toxin that can damage the heart, kidneys and nerves. It classically causes a sore throat, fever and swollen neck glands, with a characteristic grey membrane forming over the throat and tonsils that can obstruct breathing. The disease spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with infected skin sores and was once a leading cause of childhood death before widespread vaccination with the diphtheria toxoid became routine. Treatment requires diphtheria antitoxin along with antibiotics, and the disease remains a risk in under-vaccinated populations.
Facts
Classification
ICD-10 ChapterI: Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 2 Communicable or Non-communicable Transmission Route Transmission Route Causative Agent
Causative Agent (category) Diphtheria
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Associated With
Treated By
Source Convalescent plasma (Wikipedia)
Source Diphtheria Vaccine (Wikipedia)
Source DPT vaccine (Wikipedia)
Source Hexavalent vaccine (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Diphtheria
lead sentence 1
Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Lead section, body-system statement
This tough, leathery membrane slowly blocks the airway.
View the Source2. Wikipedia: ICD-10
WikipediaList of chapters, Chapter IQuote, List of chapters, Chapter I
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
3. Wikidata: Diphtheria
WikidataWikidata P1060 (transmission-route: airborne)
Disease transmission process: airborne transmission
Wikidata P1060 (transmission-route: droplet)
Disease transmission process: droplet infection
View the Source Hexavalent vaccine (Wikipedia)
Treated By: Hexavalent Vaccine, Lead: treats DiphtheriaQuote, Treated By: Hexavalent Vaccine, Lead: treats Diphtheria
The term usually refers to the children's vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, haemophilus B, and hepatitis B, which is used in more than 90 countries around the world including in Europe, Canada, Australia, Jordan, and New Zealand.
DPT vaccine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaTreated By: DPT Vaccine, Lead - treats-conditionQuote, Treated By: DPT Vaccine, Lead - treats-condition
The DPT vaccine or DTP vaccine is a class of combination vaccines to protect against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (lockjaw).
Diphtheria Vaccine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaTreated By: Diphtheria Vaccine, Lead - treats-conditionQuote, Treated By: Diphtheria Vaccine, Lead - treats-condition
Diphtheria vaccine is a toxoid vaccine against diphtheria, an illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Convalescent plasma (Wikipedia)
Treated By: Convalescent Plasma, Historical use of convalescent plasmaQuote, Treated By: Convalescent Plasma, Historical use of convalescent plasma
In 1890, Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato used convalescent serum obtained from large mammals to treat infectious diseases and found that it was particularly effective at preventing and treating diphtheria.
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