Diphtheria

Acute respiratory tract infection typically presenting as a membranous pharyngitis, caused by the gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Greek name ...

Membranous pharyngotonsillar diphtheria

• Sore throat

• Malaise, fever, and prostration

Nasal diphtheria

• Rhinorrhea (often unilateral)

• Often chronic, mild course

Obstructive laryngotracheitis

• Ho...

Appropriate health care generally entails:

• Consider admission to monitor cardiac and respiratory status (must act on presumptive diagnosis because therapy cannot wait for cult...

ECG, cardiac enzymes, neurologic status, and respiratory status; seri...

A36.2 Laryngeal diphtheria

A36.3 Cutaneous diphtheria

A36.89 Other diphtheritic complications

A36.85 Diphtheritic cystitis

A36.83 Diphtheritic polyneuritis

A36.9 Diphtheria, unspecified

A36.84 Di...

Culture, check immunization status, and consider antimicrobial prophylaxis (penicillin or erythromycin) for close contacts of known cases of C. diphtheriae.

Tdap is recommended between ...