Diphtheria is not a well-known infection. Most people who are not health-care workers probably have never heard of this disease. You might have never heard of this infection because it is now extremely rare. Diphtheria is a serious infection that causes swelling and destruction of the tissues of the throat as well as damage in the heart muscle and the nerves. The bacteria release a poison that kills brain cells and damages nerves throughout the body.

Symptoms of Diphtheria Infection

The early symptoms of diphtheria can be mistaken for a bad sore throat:

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Nausea

• Problems swallowing

• Sore throat

• Swollen glands

But symptoms can then progress further to more serious concerns:

• Vomiting

• Chills

• High fever

• Neck swelling

• Breathing problems

How Does One Catch It?

Diphtheria is a bacterium that only affects humans, so you cannot catch it from your pets. It is passed on from one person to the next from discharge from the nose, eyes, and saliva. Most likely it is transmitted when the sick person coughs violently and sprays his surroundings with the bacteria. It can be also passed on when the sick person wipes his secretions with his hands and then touches another person with the contaminated hands. In rare occasions, diphtheria can also cause skin or eye infections, which spread by direct contact.

How Common Is the Infection?

In the 1920s, diphtheria used to be one of the most common causes of death for children. More than 150,000 people were stricken with diphtheria each year before the vaccine was available. Since the introduction of the vaccine, diphtheria is now extremely rare in the United States and other developed countries. Today, less than five people per year are diagnosed with the infection in the United States. However, in parts of the world where vaccines are not widely available, sporadic outbreaks still occur.

How Serious Is the Infection?

The throat swelling caused by diphtheria is life threatening. The damaged tissues sloughing off the airway can completely block air from entering into the lungs, and the victim suffocates. About 5 to 10 percent of children with diphtheria die from it, but even the survivors suffer permanent heart and nerve damage. The poison released by the bacteria is particularly dangerous. It causes direct damage to the brain and nerves, causing seizures that are difficult to stop.

Is the Infection Treatable?

Fortunately, this often-deadly infection is treatable. However, antibiotics and antidotes against the poison released must be given promptly. A delay in diagnosis and treatment could result in death, and some may die despite the appropriate treatment. If your child gets infected with diphtheria, he would need to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit for at least two weeks to receive intravenous medications.