Knowra Diphtheria Diphtheria Diphtheria is a potentially fatal infection usually caused by toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae . It can form a membrane in the throat and damage the heart and nervous system.
Diphtheria toxin : A bacterial protein that blocks protein synthesis in susceptible cells and causes diphtheria’s systemic damage. It can injure the heart and nerves after toxin enters the bloodstream.
Diphtheria antitoxin : Antibodies that bind circulating diphtheria toxin and prevent it from entering cells. It neutralizes unbound toxin but cannot reverse toxin already attached to tissues.
Streptococcal pharyngitis : A throat infection, commonly caused by group A Streptococcus , that can cause fever and painful swallowing. It can resemble diphtheria early but does not produce diphtheria toxin.
Diphtheria vaccine : A vaccine that induces antibodies against diphtheria toxin, usually as part of a combination vaccine. Routine immunization sharply reduces severe disease and transmission.
Bacterium : A single-celled microorganism without a membrane-bound nucleus. Diphtheria is caused by bacteria rather than viruses or parasites.
Pseudomembrane : A thick layer of fibrin, dead cells, and inflammatory material formed on an infected surface. In throat diphtheria, it can obstruct the airway and bleed if forcibly removed.
Erythromycin : A macrolide antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. It is used to eradicate diphtheria bacteria and reduce transmission.
Infectious mononucleosis : A systemic illness caused by Epstein–Barr virus, often marked by fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. Its throat inflammation can resemble diphtheria, but its cause and complications differ.
Emil von Behring : A German physician who pioneered serum therapy for diphtheria and received the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His antitoxin treatment transformed diphtheria from a frequently fatal disease into a treatable one.
Exotoxin : A toxic protein released by bacteria that can disrupt host-cell functions. Diphtheria’s organ damage comes chiefly from a secreted bacterial toxin.
Show all 30