Diphtheria Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease that is highly contagious and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. Diphtheria usually occurs in the throat, nose, and sometimes on the skin and ears.
Complications
If diphtheria is not treated immediately, complications that may occur are:
- Respiratory problems: Cells that die from toxins produced by diphtheria bacteria will form a gray network. This tissue can inhibit breathing.
- Heart damage: In addition to the lungs, diphtheria poison has the potential to enter the heart and cause problems, such as irregular heartbeat, heart failure, and sudden death.
- Nerve damage: Toxins can cause sufferers to have difficulty swallowing, experience urinary tract problems, paralysis of the diaphragm, and swelling of the nerves in the hands and feet.
- Hypertoxic diphtheria: Diphtheria is the most severe complication because it can trigger severe bleeding and kidney failure.
Symptom
Symptoms that arise in people with diphtheria depend on where the bacteria multiply. Diphtheria itself is known by four types:
- Nasal DiphtheriaStarting with flu-like symptoms, but then the nasal discharge that comes out is mixed with a little blood.
- Pharyngeal and Tonsil DiphtheriaIn the form of inflammation of the mucous membranes and does not form a thin network.
- Diphtheria of the Larynx and TracheaIn this diphtheria, the patient has difficulty making a sound, shortness of breath, wheezing, high fever of up to 40 degrees Celsius, the skin looks bluish, and swelling of the glands in the neck.
- Skin DiphtheriaThere are ulcer-like sores on the skin and genitals, accompanied by the appearance of tissue over them. In this condition, the injuries that occur tend to feel nothing.
Reason
Diphtheria is caused by a rod-shaped bacterium called Corynebacterium diphtheria. This bacterium spreads by three routes:
- Sneeze. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, contaminated vapors are released and allow those around them to be exposed to the bacteria.
- Contamination of personal items. Diphtheria can be contracted through the personal belongings of an infected person. For example, if you use a patient’s glass that has not been washed.
- Contamination of household items. Although rare, diphtheria can also be spread through shared household items, such as towels or toys.
In addition, you can also get diphtheria if you touch the wound of someone who is already infected.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of diphtheria can be through patient interviews and physical examination. A more accurate way to identify this disease is to identify it using the fluorescent antibody technique, which is to add dye to the tissue you want to examine. If there is poison or bacteria, then the tissue will appear a shining color.
Treatment
In general, diphtheria patients should be isolated until the acute period has passed, which is usually 2-3 weeks. During this isolation period, the patient must rest lying down, meet fluid needs, apply a diet according to the doctor’s instructions, and keep breathing free.
Patients will also be given anti-diphtheria serum antitoxin (ADS) which will be given as soon as it is proven to be infected. Steroids are given if there are symptoms of shortness of breath in the airways. In addition, patients are advised not to be treated at home so as not to infect others.
After recovering from diphtheria, you must do the full diphtheria vaccine to prevent a recurrence. Having had diphtheria once does not guarantee you will have lifelong immunity. You can experience diphtheria more than once if you don’t get complete immunizations.
Prevention
Diphtheria can be prevented by administering DPT immunization (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus). This immunization is given five times from the age of two months to six years.
There are some side effects of this immunization. Some children will have a low-grade fever, be fussy, look weak, and have swelling at the injection site. Ask your doctor about what you need to do to minimize this side effect.