Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a infection
which is caused by strains of bacteria is known as Corynebacterium diphtheria
which makes poison. It can lead to paralysis, heart failure and difficulty in
breathing. Some vaccine are used for infants, teens and children
Etilogy
It maybe spread from person
to person in the form of air droplets like coughing and sneezing and also infect
with open sores or ulcer
Microscopy
It is a rod shaped bacteria
belongs to Actinomycetales which are found in soil it also have pathogenic
members such as Mycobacteria and Streptomyces. It is an gram positive non
motile aerobic and toxic producing bacteria.
Pathogenesis
It is based on two primary determinants
1. The ability of given strains of corynebacterium to colonize in the skin or
nasopharyngeal cavity
2. The ability of producing diphtheria toxin
These determinants are involved in colonization of host which
are encoded by the bacteria and the toxin which are encoded by
corynebacteriophage
Signs and symptoms
·
Difficulty in
breathing
·
Fever and chills
·
Tiredness
·
Swollen galnds in the
neck
·
A sore throat and
hoarseness
Diagnosis
If a doctor thinks that
someone have diphtheria he can take a sample of ulcer and open sore and try to
grow bacteria if a bacteria grow and make a colony the doctor can be sure that
a person have diphtheria.
Treatments
1.
Using diphtheria
antitoxin to stop the bacteria to produce toxin and damage the body
2. Using the antibiotics to kill the bacteria
After the patient finish
their full treatments the doctor again run a test to make sure the bacteria are
not in the patient body