Diphtheria – the old name, but the actual disease

The symptoms of diphtheria

Diphtheria is a serious infectious disease known to man for many centuries. Previously it was called the loop of udavlennika, malignant sore throat, the Sicilian plague, suffocating disease, diphtheria and so on.

In his works, it was mentioned by Galen, Hippocrates and many other ancient doctors. But it would be a mistake to assume that diphtheria remained in the distant past, and no longer threatens today's children. Of course, the incidence fell in the hundreds and thousands of times, and death from diphtheria become rare, but the probability of contamination continues to this day.

What is diphtheria?

All the old names perfectly describe the essence of this disease. Even such formerly known as "diphtheria" carries useful information. Translated from Latin, it means "protector", and it is one of the important symptoms and signs of this disease. Diphtheria is indeed quite similar to angina and can lead to death from suffocation.

Diphtheria is an acute infectious-inflammatory disease caused by corinebacteria isolation]. Pathogens affect the mucous membranes, primarily the oropharynx, and rarely, the larynx, nasal mucosa, eyes, ear canals, genitals.

The main danger of this bacterium in its secreted toxins. The bloodstream they spread throughout the body, damaging organs and tissues, primarily the nervous system, heart muscle and kidneys. In addition, diphtheria provokes severe inflammation of the larynx (croup), airway obstruction with films, spasm and swelling.

Diphtheria can be ill people of any age, but most it is dangerous for children. Before the invention of vaccine and antitoxin, the mortality rate reached 50%. But today with the availability of modern therapies, there is a risk of death, at 5-10%.

How do you get diphtheria?

The main route of transmission – airborne. Most often, the infection occurs in areas in close groups, especially children.

In addition, there are other possible mechanisms of transmission through objects, for example, books, Cutlery, toys. Outside the human body the causative agent retains its activity for long, so this way is more rare. In some cases, fixed mass infection through food, especially milk, in which bacteria can actively reproduce.

Mass vaccination helped significantly reduce the incidence, but not eliminate it altogether. Fully vaccinated people can also get sick, but in this case diphtheria occurs in abortive, asymptomatic or mild. However, such a person becomes a carrier and can infect someone who is not immune. And there are people today becoming more and more.

As can occur with diphtheria?

The causative agents of diphtheria can settle on the mucosa and on damaged skin. Therefore, there are several primary localizations:

• Oropharynxes. This is a typical variant that is fixed in 90-95% of all cases. Primarily affects the Palatine tonsils, so in the early stages, disease looks like strep throat or tonsillitis. This may be diphtheria catarrhal when inflammation only tonsils, or common, exciting, Palatine arch, palate, throat and so on. After diphtheria oropharynx can begin secondary inflammatory processes.
• Nose's. Inflammation of the nasal mucosa may be the primary form, and a complication of diphtheria of the oropharynx. In this form starts the runny nose, the mucous membrane of the nose may be plaque and diphtheria of the film, appear on the skin moist areas. Common symptoms are rare.
• Light. This files most often manifests itself as conjunctivitis, may cause diphtheria films on the mucous membrane, swelling of the eyelids. This form also rarely cause the appearance of intoxication.
• Fish soup. In most cases of diphtheria of the ear is a complication of another form of the disease. It can damage the inner ear when the spread of pathogens through the Eustachian tube or external when you skid with your hands or objects. Signs of this form of ear pain, discharge from the ear canal. During the inspection it found diphtheria of the film, weeping plaque and signs of inflammation.
• Genital. Rare form,that becomes a complication of other. Mucous membranes are inflamed, they appear in the film.
• Wounds. Can develop if a wound or scratch gets the pathogen. There are signs of local inflammation around the wound, can be film. These skin lesions heal slowly.

Regardless of the primary localization of the diphtheria can occur in different ways:

• Asymptomatic carriage. Laboratory diagnosis reveals the presence of pathogens in the affected mucosa, but the symptoms of the disease there. Carriage can last up to several months.
• Catarrhal diphtheria. Local inflammation, no signs of intoxication. The disease is easy, does not cause the common symptoms and complications. As the carriage typical of people who had been vaccinated.
• Sub. May be signs of intoxication, such as fever, headache and General malaise, but no complications.
• Toxic. Develops in unvaccinated people. Transferred hard, 2-3 day flow appear common symptoms: high fever, headaches, malaise, shortness of breath. Without treatment develop complications: damage to the nervous system, respiratory, cardiovascular.
• Hypertoxic. It is characterized by a fulminant severe course. Lethal strike is possible on the second day.

In most cases, is found in toxic diphtheria of the oropharynx. Therefore, her symptoms should be targeted first.

What is the diphtheria?

This disease is often is often compared to angina. In the first one or two days their symptoms do largely coincide: inflamed tonsils, sore throat, fever, enlarged lymph nodes. But after a few days there are more clear signs:

Temperature when diphtheria

• The plaque on the tonsils. In the early stages of plaque covers them with a thin layer, like a spider's web, easily separated. But after 2-3 days on the tonsils is a dense glossy film of gray-white color. It is not removed from the tonsils, and in trying to artificially separate it, open the bleeding surface.
• High temperature. If in the first 1-2 days the temperature rarely rises above 38.5 degrees, from the beginning of intoxication it can reach 40 degrees and above.
• General intoxication. This condition develops fairly quickly and can be hard. In addition to high temperature noted General weakness, lethargy, pale skin, lack of appetite.

How dangerous is diphtheria?

Produced by corinebacteria isolation] toxin adversely affects all body tissues, but primarily because of the suffering of the cardiac muscle and nervous tissue. Therefore, in the second week of the disease often starts myocarditis, as well as disorders of the nervous system: a partial paralysis of certain muscles, involuntary twitching, spasms, disturbance of sensation, muscle weakness and so on.

Along with General intoxication, the most dangerous complication of diphtheria is true of cereals. It occurs when inflammation of the tonsils spreads to the larynx. First, changing the voice becomes hoarse, hissing, and gradually disappears altogether. At the same time, a rough, barking cough without sputum.

Without immediate treatment croup can lead to respiratory failure and death due to suffocation.

How to diagnose diphtheria?

If any, even the slightest suspicion of this condition, the doctor recommends you undergo a minimal diagnosis. As a rule, to identify the presence of pathogen, is sufficient to pass a swab from the throat and nose. In the laboratory, it is examined under a microscope, and if it found the infection, prescribe the necessary treatment.

In addition to the smear, may require other diagnostic methods, in the first place, the bacterial inoculation. It gives a more accurate result, and allows to determine the number of pathogens and, thus, the severity of disease or the effectiveness of treatment.

How to treat diphtheria?

In the treatment of this disease plays a major role diphtheria antitoxin. It allows you to link produced by bacteria toxins, and therefore to reduce their impact on the body. In the presence of obvious symptoms, for example, diphtheria films, it is administered immediately, without waiting for diagnostic results.

The number and scheme of administration of the drug is calculated individually in each case and depends on many factors: age, severitydiseases, symptoms and so on.

In addition, conducting a course of antibiotics. It can be quite long, up to 3 weeks, and needed to eliminate all pathogens.

An important part of symptomatic and supportive therapy. Its purpose is to reduce the impact of bacterial toxins on the body, remove them from the body as soon as possible and to prevent the occurrence of complications. Therefore, for each case, choose an individual combination of drugs: sorbents, products for rehydration, stimulants, vitamins and so on.

How to avoid diphtheria?

The only specific method of prevention is timely and complete immunization. The course of vaccination is recommended to begin 3 months after birth. It consists of several blocks:

• 3 vaccinations with an interval of 1,5 month to 3 months from birth, 4.5 and 6.
• Buffer vaccination to maintain immunity in 1.5 years, 4-5 and 14-15 years.
• Lifelong periodic immunization every 10 years.

Do not think that diphtheria is purely a children's disease, adults don't need protection from him. You can become infected at any age, and it always runs hard, though, indeed, the greatest danger is for children.

It's never too late to be vaccinated against diphtheria. If in the fullness of time in childhood, the child will not get them if the scheme were violated or from the last picture it took too much time, the course starts from scratch at any age. Up to 7 years used "baby" scheme, adjusted for age, adults do multiple vaccinations: when you call, a month and a year.

How are vaccinated against diphtheria?

The greatest danger to humans is not the bacteria themselves, and they produce the toxin. Therefore, vaccination doesn't contain the very culture of diphtheria and specially treated toxin. He can not cause of media for the body, but allows the immune system to remember it and to form the required amount of antibodies.

There are several forms of vaccines:

• Monovackzina AD – diphtheria toxoid. Used very rarely, only if there is a severe allergic reaction to any other drug.
• Polyvaccine ADS – diphtheria toxoid, tetanus. Along with the protection against diphtheria, ensures the prevention of tetanus. Used for vaccinating children from 4 years and adults.
• Polyvaccine DTP – koluchiy toxoid, diphtheria, tetanus. As a rule, children under 4 years are vaccinated by this vaccine. Domestic DPT vaccine contain live bacteria cultures, which this vaccination may give side effects.

Now diphtheria has become a very rare disease. In fact, the chance to meet him not too high, but the consequences of infection can be very severe. And vaccination is the only way to avoid this risk.