Transmitted in most cases by airborne droplets, other than cutaneous forms, which can be infected by contact with the patient. There are also outbreaks of food diphtheria, in which pathogens developed in milk, confectionary creams and similar media. Treat the disease by introducing a special antitoxin serum.
Diphtheria causative agent
The disease is bacterial in nature and is caused by diphtheria bacillus (Corynebacterium diphtheriae). Diphtheria bacteria visually (under a microscope) are thin, slightly curved sticks, 3-5 long and wide up to 0.3 micrometers. Because of the peculiarities of division, bacteria are most often arranged in the form of the letter V or Y.
Forms and symptoms of diphtheria
The incubation period of the disease lasts from 2 to 7, in rare cases - up to 10 days. In the place of manifestation, diphtheria of the oropharynx is distinguished (90-95% of all cases of the disease), nose, respiratory tract, eyes, skin and genital organs. If several organs are affected, then such a variety is called combined. Also, the disease is divided into the form - localized and toxic, and in severity - to light, medium and heavy.
The main signs of diphtheria are:
- Subfebrile temperature (long, within 37-38 ° C).
- General weakness.
- Slight sore throat, difficulty swallowing.
- Increased tonsils.
- Edema of soft tissues in the neck.
- Expansion of the blood vessels and edema of the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
- The formation of plaque (most often - white and gray) in the form of a film, through which the disease and received its name (diphtheria - from the Greek "diphthera" - film, membrane). With diphtheria of the nasopharynx (the most common), the film covers the tonsils, but can spread to the sky, the side walls of the pharynx, the larynx.
- Increased cervical lymph nodes.
Vaccination
Given that diphtheria is a fairly dangerous disease, with severe forms that can lead to death, regular routine vaccination is carried out in most countries around the world to prevent infection and spread it. Vaccination from diphtheria is done to children from the age of three months. At present, it is a part of combined vaccines, such as ADP, ADS-M (from diphtheria and tetanus) and DTP (from diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis).
The initial vaccination is carried out three times, with a break of 30-40 days. In the future, the vaccine should be repeated every 10 years. It is believed that vaccination does not give 100% protection against infection, but the risk of the disease is markedly reduced, and in patients it is mild.
Of the vaccines used, DTP has more contraindications and severe consequences due to pertussis components. This vaccine is given to children under 7 years of age. Vaccines ASD and ASD-M are used to immunize children older than 7 years. Contraindications to vaccination are: the presence of any diseases in severe form, chronic diseases at the stage of exacerbation, weakened immunity, birth trauma, a negative reaction to a previous vaccination, the presence of a child or family members of nervous diseases or convulsions, inflammatory skin diseases, kidney disease and heart, allergies in any form.
Complications of diphtheria
- Toxic shock. It can develop with toxic diphtheria in a severe stage. Appears or on the 1-2 day of the disease, when the symptoms of the disease are still minimal, or 3-5, at the peak of the disease. With this complication, the adrenal glands, liver and heart are particularly affected. With the development of toxic shock, the percentage of deaths is high.
- Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). The development of the complication depends on the degree of severity of the disease, and in toxic forms more than 85% of the cases are observed.
- Polineuropathy is the defeat of the peripheral nerves, which leads to the development of paresis and paralysis.
- Asphyxia - due to edema of the larynx.