Diphtheria – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection which affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, inflaming them. While the main symptom of diphtheria is a sheet of thick, grey material covering the back of your throat, the disease also causes sore throat, fever, swollen glands and weakness.The grey membrane can block the airway, causing the affected person to struggle for breath.The disease, although minimized due to widespread vaccination against the disease, is still quite prevalent in rural areas in India. India still ranked top in the World Health Organization’s list of most number of Diphtheria cases in developing countries in 2016.

Symptoms
Diphtheria symptoms usually begin within a week after a person becomes infected. These include:
• A thick, grey membrane covering your throat and tonsils (main symptom)
• A sore throat and hoarseness
• Swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in your neck
• Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
• Nasal discharge
• Fever and chills
• A general feeling of discomfort and illness

Diphtheria in some people may cause only mild illness, with no visible signs and symptoms at all. Such people who are infected without them knowing are known as carriers. They can spread the infection without being sick themselves.

Causes
The causal agent of Diphtheria is the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.Thebacterium multiplies on or near the surface of mucous membranes. They spread via three routes:
• Airborne Droplets: People may inhale the bacterium when an infected person sneezes or coughs, releasing contaminated droplets in the air. This is highly particular in confined or crowded spaces like a bus or metro.
• Contaminated personal items: People can catch the bacteria from handling an infected person’s belongings or articles, handling a tissue used by them, drinking from their unwashed glass, or coming in contact with anything that has bacteria laden secretion deposited on it by the infected person.
• Touching an infected wound of the infected person can also result in catching the bacteria.

Treatment
Diphtheria is a serious illness which needs to be treated immediately and aggressively by doctors. Doctors usually use these medications to combat Diphtheria:
• Antitoxins: If doctors suspect diphtheria, the infected child or adult receives an antitoxin. The antitoxin, injected into a vein or muscle, neutralizes the diphtheria toxin already circulating in the body.
• Antibiotics: Diphtheria is also treated with antibiotics, such as penicillin or erythromycin. Antibiotics help kill bacteria in the body, clearing up infections. Antibiotics help in reducing the length of time that a person with diphtheria is contagious to just a few days.

Diphtheria treatment is available in most multi-facility hospitals. You can find such top hospitals in Gurgaon and Delhi NCR, as well as such hospitals in Patna, and one such hospital in Darbhanga in Bihar.