It is a transmissible bacterial disease infecting the larynx, pharynx, nose and tonsils. It is an upper respiratory tract illness characterized by sore throat, low grade gever and adherent membrane. The name of the disease come of the Greek Diphtheria. it means leather hide. The bacterium responsible is Corynebacterium diphtheriae. C. diphtheriae is an aerobic gram-positive toxin-producing bacillus. It is highly contagious upper respiratory tract infection. The onset symptoms are sore throat, low-grade fever, and mild oxidative pharyngitis. In mild cases, the symptoms resemble those of streptocoocal pharyngitis and in severe cases, psuedomembranes start to form after two to three days. Psuedo membrane is a false membrane that develops during infections and inflammations. It appears to be a real tissue but it is made of mucus, fibrin, bacteria or immune system cells. The pathogenic cause for severe diphtheria disease is the toxin produced by C. diphteriae that cause cell to be destroyed. The toxin is absorbed into the bloodstream and circulated in the …show more content…
The common place where you can find these infections are at pharynx and tonsils. Early symptoms include malaise, sore throat, anorexia, and low grade fever. Within 2-3 days, a bluish-white membrane forms and extends, varying in size from covering a small patch on tonsils to covering most of the soft palate. some can be treated without treatment, but others may develop severe disease. Patients with severe disease may develop marked edema around the anterior neck along with lymphadenopathy. It almost looks likes like bull neck. It severe toxins are absorbed, patient may even die within 6-10