Diphtheria spreads.. Facts about the highly contagious disease

The World Health Organization has announced that more than 557 confirmed cases of diphtheria have been detected in Nigeria since the beginning of 2023.

Organization said Report A journalist reported that there were about 1,500 suspected cases of diphtheria, 40 percent of which were confirmed, including 73 deaths.

Diphtheria is known by many names, including “diphtheria” or “angina”, and is a “highly contagious” bacterial disease, although it can be prevented by vaccination, but it is mainly spread between people by direct contact.

How is the disease spread?

Diphtheria is easily spread between people by direct contact or inhalation of infected droplets resulting from coughing or sneezing.

Infection is also spread through contact with clothing or objects contaminated with the bacteria.

Symptoms of diphtheria

Diphtheria infection does not cause “mild illness” in some people, or they do not even show symptoms of infection, and they can be carriers of the disease and spread it without realizing it, according to “.Mayo Clinic“.

Symptoms of this disease appear in the patient within two to five days, and they include the following:

• A thick membrane covering the throat and tonsils.
• throat pain.
• Hoarseness and barking cough.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Nasal discharge.
• Feeling feverish and tired.
• Airway obstruction.
• Shortness of breath and runny nose.

Diphtheria is more common in unvaccinated children and adults, or in people living in crowded areas with poor sanitation, and the disease is still prevalent in some developing countries where vaccination rates are low.

Can Diphtheria Cause Death?

If a person suffering from diphtheria is not in good health, he may face many health problems which may end in death.

And it can lead to breathing problems because the tunnel and throat have a thick, gray membrane, and this membrane is usually dead cells and bacteria.

If the bacteria spreads into the bloodstream, it can lead to heart damage, which, after infection, can eventually lead to heart failure and sudden death.

These bacteria can lead to nerve damage, especially in the throat area, and nerves in the arms and legs can become inflamed, and some muscles can become paralyzed, making the task of breathing impossible and requiring an assistive medical device.

Prevention and treatment

And confirm World Health Organization Between 5 and 10 percent of those infected with diphtheria die, and in an epidemic it can reach 40 percent, and the highest mortality rates are among young children.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisesCDCIt is necessary to take a group of vaccines to prevent diphtheria infection and relieve associated symptoms, which is the group of vaccines “DTaP, Tdap, DT, Td”.

To become immune to this disease, you should get three doses of the vaccine in childhood and adolescence.

If you mix with someone who has this disease, you should also receive antibiotic treatment and monitor health indicators for about 10 days.

And the World Health Organization notes that “vaccination” is essential for prevention, especially for children under five or even school-going children, as well as health workers and any contacts.

The organization has set “guiding principles” that include giving patients antibiotics to kill bacteria, reduce the incidence of complications, and reduce deaths.