Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheria. It is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and the formation of grayish-white films on it.

The causative agent of diphtheria, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, is a mobile gram-positive rod. The main factor in the pathogenicity of corynebacteria is the diphtheria toxin it produces, which causes tissue necrosis and disrupts the functioning of the myocardium, nervous system and other organs.

Infection occurs through airborne droplets upon contact with a patient. The incubation period lasts 2-5 days.

Clinical manifestations:

1. Formation of grayish-white plaques on the tonsils, palatine arches, and the back wall of the pharynx. The plaques are tightly fused to the underlying tissues.

2. Increase in body temperature to 38-39°C.

3. Enlarged and painful cervical lymph nodes.

4. General symptoms of intoxication are weakness, malaise, headache.

5. In severe cases - heart and kidney failure, damage to the nervous system.

Treatment includes the administration of anti-diphtheria serum, antibiotic therapy, and symptomatic therapy.

Prevention of diphtheria is based on routine vaccination of children and revaccination of adults against diphtheria. Timely immunization helps prevent the development of the disease.

Diphtheria is a dangerous infectious disease caused by the diphtheria bacillus. It usually starts with a sore throat, then a high temperature appears, and the cervical lymph nodes become swollen. Gray-yellow plaques consisting of fibrin, leukocytes and bacteria appear in the pharynx, on the small tongue, arches and the back wall of the pharynx.

In severe forms, plaque spreads to the larynx and even to the nose, from which foul-smelling mucus flows. Severe diphtheria often leads to complications - paralysis, deafness, chronic runny nose.

If diphtheria is suspected, urgent hospitalization is necessary to administer anti-diphtheria serum. Before hospitalization it is recommended:

1. Give a laxative

2. Gargle with a solution of table salt or vinegar

3. Dust your throat with sulfur

4. Place a cold compress on your neck

5. If the lymph nodes are swollen, lubricate with ichthyol ointment

6. Rinse your nose with hydrogen peroxide solution

7. Drink lemon juice with honey

8. Maintain bed rest for at least 3 weeks

9. For strabismus, apply warm salty lotions to the eyes

10. If there is leakage from the ear, instill lavender oil with alcohol

A folk remedy is lining the throat with fresh cabbage.

Timely treatment and prevention of diphtheria through vaccination is the key to preventing this dangerous disease.

**Diphtheria** is a bacterial infection that affects the mucous membranes of the larynx, nose and mouth. The disease is caused by the diphtheria bacterium (Corynebacterium diphteriae), known as Bacillus anthracis. Diphtheria infections can be severe and fatal, especially in children and the elderly. In this article we will look at: what diphtheria disease is, what symptoms occur with diphtheria, its treatment, possible complications and preventive measures.

Diphtheria is a dangerous childhood diagnosis! Not every bacteria is dangerous to humans. Most bacterial organisms that come to the aid of humans have a completely peaceful lifestyle. But diphtheria, which is sometimes called the “baby plague,” is certainly dangerous. The infectious disease received this name for a reason: one of the clinical manifestations of diphtheria is considered to be a fibrinous film, from which