Diphtheria

Diphtheria: Introduction

Diphtheria: Diphtheria usually affects the tonsils, throat, nose, or skin. Like tetanus, it is caused by the toxin, or poison, of a bacterium, ... more about Diphtheria.

Diphtheria: Infectious bacterial respiratory disease. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Diphtheria is available below.

Symptoms of Diphtheria

• Respiratory Diphtheria symptoms:
  • Sore throat
  • Low-grade fever
  • Increased pulse
  • Adherent membrane of the tonsils, pharynx, or nose
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 20 symptoms of Diphtheria

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Diphtheria:

• Lung & Respiratory Health Tests:
  • Asthma-Related Home Test Kits
  • Home Lung Function Test Kits
• Cold & Flu: Home Testing:
  • Home Fever Tests
  • Home Ear Infection Test Kits
  • Home Flu Tests
  • Home Strep A Tests
• more tests...»

Diphtheria: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Diphtheria:

• Myocarditis
• Arrhythmia
• Heart failure
• Peripheral neuritis
• The most severe complications can involve blockage of the air passages:
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Diphtheria

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Diphtheria?

• Misdiagnosis of Diphtheria
• Failure to diagnose Diphtheria
• Undiagnosed: Diphtheria

Diphtheria: Self Assessment Tools

• Exercise -- Self Assessment Tools
• Smoking -- Self Assessment Tools
• Chronic Lung Disorders -- Self Assessment Tools
• more tools...»

Diphtheria: Medical Mistakes

• Asthma -- Health Mistakes
• Allergies -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Diphtheria: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

• Chronic Respiratory Disorders that may be Undiagnosed:
  • Asthma -- Undiagnosed
  • Allergies -- Undiagnosed
  • COPD -- Undiagnosed
  • Emphysema -- Undiagnosed
  • Chronic Bronchitis -- Undiagnosed
  • Lung Cancer -- Undiagnosed
  • Sinusitis -- Undiagnosed
  • Cystic Fibrosis -- Undiagnosed
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Misdiagnosis and Diphtheria

Sinusitis is overdiagnosed: There is a tendency to give a diagnosis of sinusitis, when the condition is really a harmless complication of another infection,...read more »

Whooping cough often undiagnosed: Although most children in the Western world have been immunized against whooping cough (also called "pertussis"), this protection wears off after about 15 years. Thus, any...read more »

Chronic lung diseases hard to diagnose: Some of the chronic lung diseases are difficult to diagnose. Even the well-knowns conditions such as ...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Diphtheria

Diphtheria: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists:
  • Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat)
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology (Child Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist)
  • Otology / Neurotology (Ear/Hearing Specialists)
  • Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck
• Lung Health Specialists (Pulmonologist):
  • Pulmonology (Lung Health Specialists)
  • Pediatric Pulmonology (Child Lung Health)
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Hospitals & Clinics: Diphtheria

Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Diphtheria:

• Lung Health (Pulmonology) -- Hospital Quality Ratings
• more hospital ratings...»

Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »

Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Diphtheria, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:

• 50 Best Hospitals Report
• Outstanding Patient Experinece Award Winning Hospitals
• Women's Health Best Hospitals
• Patient Safety
• Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence Study (2009)

Diphtheria: Rare Types

Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:

• Chronic Respiratory Disorders -- Rare Types:
  • Asthma -- Rare Types
  • Allergies -- Rare Types
  • COPD -- Rare Types
  • Emphysema -- Rare Types
  • Chronic Bronchitis -- Rare Types
  • Lung Cancer -- Rare Types
  • Sinusitis -- Rare Types
  • Cystic Fibrosis -- Rare Types
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea -- Rare Types
• more rare diseases...»

Causes of Diphtheria

Read more about causes of Diphtheria.

Treatments for Diphtheria

• Hospitalization
• Intensive care treatment
• Bed rest
• Intravenous fluids
• Diphtheria antitoxin injection
• more treatments...»

See full list of 10 treatments for Diphtheria

Latest Treatments for Diphtheria

• Diptheria antitoxin
• Erythromycin
• Penicillin
• DL-carnitine
• more treatments...»

Read more about the latest treatments for Diphtheria

News Archives for Diphtheria

Medical news articles related to Diphtheria include:

• Angina More Common in Women Than Men
• Doctors Debate Drugs vs. Surgery for Angina
• Trial to Test Gene Therapy for Angina in Women
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Videos for Diphtheria

Patient Surveys for Diphtheria

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Diphtheria
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Diphtheria

More about prognosis of Diphtheria

Reseach about Diphtheria

Visit our research pages for current research about Diphtheria treatments.

Clinical Trials for Diphtheria

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Diphtheria include:

• Safety and Immune Response of Different Pediatric Combination Vaccines. - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Safety and Immunogenicity of DAPTACEL as 5th Dose in Children 4 to 6 Years Old After 4 Doses of Pentacel or DAPTACEL - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Comparison of Safety and Immunogenicity of Pediacel and Infanrix IPV+Hib (Penta) Given in a 3 Dose Schedule in Infants - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Safety of DTaP-IPV-HB-PRP~T Combined Vaccine Compared to Tritanrix-HepB/Hib and OPV Given at Age 2, 4, and 6 Months. - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Immunogenicity of DTaP-IPV-HB-PRP~T Combined Vaccine Compared With PENTAXIM and ENGERIX B at 2-3-4 Months Schedule - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• more trials...»

See full list of 71 Clinical Trials for Diphtheria

Prevention of Diphtheria

Prevention information for Diphtheria has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Diphtheria.

• Diphtheria vaccination
• DTP vaccination - combined vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)
• DTPa vaccinations - acellular improved version of DTP
• Combined diphtheria-tetanus vaccine
• more preventions...»

Read more about prevention of Diphtheria

Statistics for Diphtheria

• Medical statistics for Diphtheria
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Diphtheria
• Death and Mortality statistics for Diphtheria
• Society statistics for Diphtheria

Diphtheria: Broader Related Topics

• Bacterial diseases
• Lung conditions
• Vaccine-preventable diseases
• more types...»

Types of Diphtheria

Types of Diphtheria

• Respiratory diphtheria
• Cutaneous diphtheria
• Malignant diphtheria
• Nasal diphtheria - mostly in infants, affecting the nasal membranes.
• more types...»

Read more about Types of Diphtheria

Stories from Users Related to Diphtheria

• nicoderm patches and angina
• Is it GERD or angina?
• Is it GERD or angina?
• Angina For 28yo?!
• Is it GERD or angina?

Related forums and medical stories:

• Infectious Diseases (213)
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
  • small pink spots on penis
  • very high titers
  • Sharp needles like pain on skin.
  • Lymes-like symptoms. Could someone please help me?
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Diphtheria, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Diphtheria

Diphtheria usually affects the tonsils, throat, nose, or skin. Like tetanus, it is caused by the toxin, or poison, of a bacterium, but it can spread from an infected person to the nose or throat of others. (Source: excerpt from Shots for Safety - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Definitions of Diphtheria:

A species of gram-positive, asporogenous bacteria in which three cultural types are recognized. These types (gravis, intermedius, and mitis) were originally given in accordance with the clinical severity of the cases from which the different strains were most frequently isolated. This species is the causative agent of DIPHTHERIA. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Acute contagious infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae; marked by the formation of a false membrane in the throat and other air passages causing difficulty in breathing - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Diphtheria as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet