Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which primarily infects the throat and upper airways, and produces a toxin affecting other organs. The illness has an acute onset and the main characteristics are sore throat, low fever and swollen glands in the neck, and the toxin may, in severe cases, cause myocarditis or peripheral neuropathy. The diphtheria toxin causes a membrane of dead tissue to build up over the throat and tonsils, making breathing and swallowing difficult.
Diphtheria
The disease is spread through direct physical contact or from breathing in the aerosolized secretions from coughs or sneezes of infected individuals.
- Whole-body: chills, fatigue, fever, or malaise
- Respiratory: noisy breathing or shortness of breath
- Skin: rashes or ulcers
- Speech: hoarseness or impaired voice
- Throat: difficulty swallowing or soreness
- Also common: coughing, muscle weakness, runny nose, swelling, or swollen lymph nodes
Diphtheria Antitoxin is prepared by hyper-immunized horses with diphtheria toxoid, Plasma obtained from the hyper-immunized horses which are rich in antibodies to diphtheria toxin is enzyme refined, purified, and concentrated. The antitoxin has the specific power of neutralizing the toxin secreted by Corynebacterium diphtheria the causative organism of diphtheria.