{"id":8933,"date":"2019-08-15T15:31:03","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T15:31:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8933"},"modified":"2021-06-18T18:28:23","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T18:28:23","slug":"16-symptoms-of-diphtheria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/16-symptoms-of-diphtheria\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Symptoms of Diphtheria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Diphtheria is a disease that is contagious and infectious. It typically will affect the upper respiratory tract. This infectious disease is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This disease was described by Hippocrates dating back to the 5th century. Throughout history, it has been a leading cause of death, especially among small children. The bacterium that causes diphtheria was identified during the 1880s by F. Loeffler. During the 1890s an antitoxin was developed. The first vaccine against this infectious disease was provided in the 1920s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The widespread use of the vaccine has led to a dramatic decrease in the development of diphtheria throughout the world. While the vaccination has decreased the number of incidences of the disease, there can still be serious outbreaks that occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Health Organization reported that there were over 157,000 cases and around 5000 deaths caused by diphtheria in the 1990s during an outbreak in the Russian Federation. Here are some of the symptoms of diphtheria to consider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Upper Respiratory Infection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, the symptoms of diphtheria <\/a>will mimic those of an upper respiratory infection. For this reason, the diagnosis of diphtheria can often be difficult. However, a person who is suffering from diphtheria will experience symptoms that become more severe as the disease progresses. Typically speaking, an individual who has been exposed to diphtheria will start to have symptoms within a couple of up to five days after they were exposed to the bacteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, certain individuals will not have any symptoms at all. This is referred to as being asymptomatic. When this occurs, a person may not realize that they are carrying the bacteria. In these cases, the person may spread the bacteria to others without realizing it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other individuals may suffer from mild symptoms and believe that they have simply developed a common cold. If you are showing any of the symptoms on this list it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. If left untreated diphtheria can lead to many complications, including death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Sore Throat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time if you are suffering from a sore throat<\/a> it is caused by a virus. There is no medication that can be given to you to help ease the pain that you are experiencing from a viral infection that is causing your throat to be sore. However, if you are suffering from a sore throat that is caused by a bacterium such as diphtheria, there are medications that can be provided by your doctor in order to help cure your ailment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are suffering from a sore throat and you also have some of the other symptoms on this list, seeking medical attention is very important. It is important to be tested by a doctor to determine the underlying cause for the sore throat and other symptoms that you may have in order to get proper treatment started right away. The sooner medical attention is provided the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the body is fighting off any type of infection, chances are high that you are going to run a fever<\/a>. When a person has been infected with diphtheria, a fever is likely to occur. This typically happens not long after the secondary symptoms start to appear. A person may become quite weak and feverish during this stage of the illness. A fever can be treated with anti-inflammatory medications, but the fever will continue to come back until the diphtheria is eradicated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fevers are a symptom of many illnesses as the body needs to maintain a temperature that is constant. When the lymphatic system is fully engaged and the body enters full defense mode, the blood runs much faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This causes the body to overheat. This will affect the other organs in the body and cause their functions to become weak, which can cause a person to feel quite ill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Hoarseness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hoarseness <\/a>or a raspy voice can be caused by many different things. The medical term for hoarseness is laryngitis. This occurs when the larynx becomes swollen and inflamed. The larynx is often referred to as the voice box. Most of the time laryngitis is caused by a common virus. In some cases it can simply be caused by overuse of the voice. In these cases the symptoms are not serious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are some causes of hoarseness, such as diphtheria that will require medical attention. If you are suffering from a sore throat, running a fever, and have developed laryngitis, it is important to seek medical attention right away as this could be a sign that you have been infected with the bacteria that causes diphtheria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also be a symptom of several other significant medical issues such as throat or thyroid cancer, which is why it is important to determine the underlying cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Difficulty Swallowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another unpleasant aspect of diphtheria is that it can make it difficult and even painful to swallow. When your throat is sore and swollen from the bacteria, it can make both eating and drinking quite difficult. When you are struggling to eat or drink it can cause more severe complications such as dehydration<\/a>. When the body is not hydrated it can begin to shut down. Not eating can also cause a person to start losing weight unexpectedly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dehydration can be quite serious when it is combined with a fever. When you consider that drinking plenty of fluids is one of the best ways to flush the body of toxins, it is easy to see why not being able to swallow can become quite dangerous rather quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a sore throat and are struggling to swallow, try to at least sip on some water every hour. If you are suffering from this, seek medical attention right away in order to determine the underlying cause and begin proper treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

6. Malaise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When a person first develops diphtheria, a lot of the symptoms of the disease are easy to confuse with the common cold or even the flu. As mentioned, with each of these illnesses, a person will often run a fever and may develop a cough. One symptom that is similar in all three illnesses is a feeling of general malaise<\/a>. This includes pain, fatigue, and muscle aches. All of these are prevalent among many different types of viral infections. This is why it can be difficult to diagnose diphtheria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this also means that a person who has the diphtheria may not realize it until they have been to many different places such as school or work, thus spreading the illness to many people all at once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling tired and being in pain all the time is something that you need to discuss with your doctor. Your medical provider will be able to determine what the cause of your symptoms are and help start you on the proper treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

7. Cough<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Once again, one of the symptoms of diphtheria can often be misinterpreted as being a common respiratory infection or even a cold or the flu. The symptom is a cough<\/a>. This cough may be quite harsh, very irritated, and is typically quite dry. When a person is suffering from the flu, this same type of cough may appear. However, a cough that is caused by diphtheria will often be a bit wetter and will sometimes produce mucus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cough that is caused by diphtheria is typically not helped by any over the counter medications. These medications may stop the cough for a bit, the typically the medication will not help with this symptom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to visit your doctor to determine what type of bacteria or virus is causing you to experience this cough. Once your illness is properly diagnosed, treatment can be started so that you will be on your way to recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Nasal Congestion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When your nose is feeling stuffed up, chances are that you do not think much about it. If your child has a stuffy nose, you likely will write it off as being caused by a cold or other type of virus and will not worry too much about it. However, during the early stages of diphtheria, a child may develop a runny nose and sneezing quite often. Often times, when it is diphtheria that is causing the runny nose and sneezing<\/a>, over the counter medications will not provide any type of relief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diphtheria can be spread through the mucus. The bacteria may remain contagious in the mucus for several hours after a sneeze or after contact with another individual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is important to make sure that you are washing not only your hands, but your child\u2019s hands frequently when they are ill as this is the best way to help prevent the disease from spreading. 
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