Diphtheria Disease, Symptoms, Causes and How to Treat

Diphtheria is a deadly infectious disease that attacks the upper respiratory tract (tonsil, pharynx and nose) and sometimes on mucous membranes and skin caused by bacteria such as Corynebacterium diphteriae. All age groups both children and adults can be infected by this disease. However, children aged less than 5 years and those over 60 years old are particularly at risk of contracting the disease diphtheria. At the end of 2012 in East Java outbreaks (Unusual) Diphtheria cases where there 700.

This disease can be caused by two things from other people infected with the bacteria and career diphtheria. Career diphtheria is someone who is healthy, no symptoms of diphtheria, but the nasal swab test results showed positive for the presence of germs of diphtheria. People with diphtheria career can be cured by taking medicine eritsomisin 4x1 for 7 days, and can be consulted on whether health care workers need to have this additional immunizations.

What are the symptoms / signs Disease Diphtheria?

In general, diphtheria causes symptoms such as hot, shortness of breath, sore throat swallowing, swollen neck (bullneck), as well as the lining of grayish-white color in the throat that can obstruct the airway. In addition diphtheria can produce toxins that are harmful because it can attack the heart muscle, nerve and kidney tissue.

Diphtheria can attack any part of the body such as the throat, lips, skin, eyes, nose, tonsils, pharynx, and larynx. Diphtheria is a severe disease that can cause complications. Complications can be influenced by the virulence of the bacteria, spacious membrane, the amount of toxin, the time between the onset of disease by administration of antitoxin. Complications include heart damage, nervous system damage and airway obstruction.

What Causes Diphtheria?

It is known that the disease-causing bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria is diphteriae.

bacteria Corynebacterium diphteriae

This bacterium is a germ stem 'mace' gram-positive bacteria which do not form spores, resistant and dry in a frozen state and died on heating 60ºC. However, there are several other factors which may facilitate infection Diphtheria disease, namely:

Immunization coverage is less or not receive complete immunization

Vaccine quality is not good

Unhealthy environmental factors such as poor sanitation and adjacent houses that facilitate the spread of diphtheria

Low level of knowledge of mothers about immunizations and symptoms of diphtheria

Access to health services are lacking

How Transmission Diphtheria?

Diphtheria disease is famous as dangerous infectious diseases. Then how is it passed? Diphtheria disease can be transmitted through saliva splashes of a person carrying the bacteria to other healthy people. But the disease can also be transmitted through objects or food that has been contaminated with the bacteria. Another way of transmission of diphtheria is to make intimate contact.

Diphtheria can also be prevented by:

Avoid direct contact with patients with diphtheria

• Maintain personal and environmental hygiene such as hand washing, good sanitation, clean the house and yard, and others
• Keeping the body fit the conditions that are not easily attacked by diseases such as eating nutritious foods and regular sport If you need to wear a medical mask
• No coughing and sneezing everywhere. Ethics sneezing and coughing are correct is to cover the use of tissue, or if no tissue can then use the arm.

How To Treat Diphtheria?

Diphtheria disease is a dangerous disease that can cause death. Therefore, treatment should be carried out immediately. When symptoms of diphtheria began to arise, then immediately go to the hospital. Consult your health care providers to get the right treatment and the provision of erythromycin against direct contact. Giving erythromycin and penicillin may help remove germs and stop spending toxin. When patients experience airway obstruction, if necessary medical personnel will make a hole in the pipe upper respiratory tract so that the patient can breathe.