Diphtheria – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment – Diligent IAS 25/07/2019 – Posted in: Daily News

DIPTHERIA

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: Diptheria – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment


 

News Flash

The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital has confirmed the outbreak of diphtheria at Kadambur Hill in Erode district.

 

Diphtheria

  • Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria.
  • It primarily infects the throat and upper airways, and produces a toxin affecting other organs.
  • The main characteristics are sore throat, low fever and swollen glands in the neck.
  • In severe cases, the toxin may, cause myocarditis or peripheral neuropathy.
  • The diphtheria toxin causes a membrane of dead tissue to build up over the throat and tonsils.
  • The disease is spread through direct physical contact.
  • It can also be spread from breathing in the aerosolized secretions from coughs or sneezes of infected individuals.

 

Treatment

  • Vaccination against diphtheria has reduced the mortality and morbidity of diphtheria.
  • Treatment involves administering diphtheria antitoxin to neutralize the effects of the toxin, as well as antibiotics to kill the bacteria.
  • Diphtheria vaccine is a bacterial toxoid, ie. a toxin whose toxicity has been inactivated.
  • The vaccine is normally given in combination with other vaccines as DTwP/DTaP vaccine or pentavalent vaccine.
  • For adolescents and adults the diphtheria toxoid is frequently combined with tetanus toxoid in lower concentration (Td vaccine).
  • WHO recommends a 3-dose primary vaccination series with diphtheria containing vaccine followed by 3 booster doses.
  • Diphtheria is still a significant child health problem in countries with poor EPI coverage.
  • Diphtheria is fatal in 5 – 10% of cases, with a higher mortality rate in young children.

 

Background

  • 1613, Spain experienced an epidemic of diphtheria.
  • 1735, a diphtheria epidemic swept through New England.
  • 1856, Victor Fourgeaud described an epidemic of diphtheria in California.
  • 1975, an outbreak of cutaneous diphtheria in Seattle, Washington, was reported.
  • 1994, the Russian Federation had 39,703 diphtheria cases.
  • 2013, three children died of diphtheria in Hyderabad, India.
  • In November and December 2017, an outbreak of diphtheria occurred in Indonesia.

 

Source: Indian Express and WHO

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