What diphtheria contains?
The dangers associated with diphtheria come from the toxin released by the bacterium, Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The toxin makes it difficult for children to breathe and swallow, but it also attacks the heart, kidneys and nerves.
What country did diphtheria come from?
The diphtheria bacterium was first identified in the 1880s and in the 1890s diphtheria antitoxin was developed in Germany to treat victims of the disease. The antitoxin is prepared after horses are injected with increasingly large doses of diphtheria toxin.
What antibiotics are used for diphtheria?
Antibiotics. The recommended antibiotics for respiratory or cutaneous diphtheria is either erythromycin or penicillin.
How is diphtheria vaccine administered?
Administer all diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines (DT, DTaP, Td, and Tdap) by the intramuscular route. The preferred injection site in infants and young children is the vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh. The preferred injection site in older children and adults is the deltoid muscle in the upper arm.
Can diphtheria go away on its own?
Today, the disease is not only treatable but also preventable with a vaccine. The diphtheria vaccine is usually combined with vaccines for tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis).
Where is diphtheria most commonly found?
Diphtheria currently occurs most often in sub-Saharan Africa, India, and Indonesia. In 2015, it resulted in 2,100 deaths, down from 8,000 deaths in 1990. In areas where it is still common, children are most affected.
Is diphtheria eradicated?
While improved coverage of children in developing countries with diphtheria toxoid has led to progressive decreases in diphtheria; eradication is unlikely in the foreseeable future and gaps in immunity among adult population exist or are developing in many other countries.
How is diphtheria treated?
Diphtheria treatment today involves: Using diphtheria antitoxin to stop the toxin made by the bacteria from damaging the body. This treatment is very important for respiratory diphtheria infections, but it is rarely used for diphtheria skin infections. Using antibiotics to kill and get rid of the bacteria.
How much does diphtheria vaccine cost?
DIPHTHERIA and TETANUS TOXOIDS; PERTUSSIS VACCINE is used to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis infections. The lowest GoodRx price for the most common version of Boostrix is around $48.00, 36% off the average retail price of $75.66. Compare vaccinations.
How can you prevent diphtheria?
Vaccination. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best way to prevent diphtheria. In the United States, there are four vaccines used to prevent diphtheria: DTaP, Tdap, DT, and Td. Each of these vaccines prevents diphtheria and tetanus; DTaP and Tdap also help prevent pertussis (whooping cough).
Is diphtheria vaccine good for life?
Studies estimate that diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccines protect nearly all people (95 in 100) for approximately 10 years. Protection decreases over time, so adults need to get a Td or Tdap booster shot every 10 years to stay protected.
How long does it take to recover from diphtheria?
Immediate hospitalization and early intervention allow most patients to recover from diphtheria. After the antibiotics and anti-toxin have taken effect, someone with diphtheria will need bed rest for a while (4 to 6 weeks, or until full recovery).
What diphtheria means?
: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a gram-positive bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) that produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system.
How do you get diphtheria?
The condition is typically spread through person-to-person contact or through contact with objects that have the bacteria on them, such as a cup or used tissue. You may also get diphtheria if you’re around an infected person when they sneeze, cough, or blow their nose.