Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The disease can occur at any age, but 70% occur in children under 15 years old and have not been fully vaccinated.
Even with treatment, the mortality rate of the disease is up to 5-10%. Recently, an 18-year-old girl in Nghe An died of diphtheria, showing the danger of this disease.
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| Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The disease can occur at any age, but 70% occur in children under 15 years old and have not been fully vaccinated. |
So who is at risk of getting diphtheria? According to doctors, anyone can get diphtheria. However, the disease mainly occurs in children and some groups of people at risk of getting the disease such as: People who have not been vaccinated against the disease. People living in crowded, unsanitary conditions.
Children under 15 years old who are not immune enough (due to not being vaccinated or not having enough doses as recommended). People with immunodeficiency and chronic diseases.
Dangerous complications of diphtheria
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), complications of diphtheria are extremely dangerous. If not detected and treated promptly, they can lead to death very quickly, within just 6-10 days. Below are the dangerous complications of the disease:
Obstructed airways causing difficulty breathing
Most of the symptoms of diphtheria are mainly pharyngitis, sore throat, and laryngeal damage. Diphtheria bacteria will create an ivory-white pseudomembrane due to inflamed tissue cells creating a pseudomembrane that adheres tightly to the pharynx. If left untreated, this pseudomembrane will grow and spread, blocking the respiratory tract, causing difficulty breathing, suffocation, and respiratory failure for the patient.
Myocarditis
This is one of the particularly serious complications of diphtheria. Myocarditis complications often occur when the patient is in the acute stage or a few weeks after recovery. The exotoxin secreted by diphtheria affects the heart, causing arrhythmia and sudden death due to heart failure.
Damage to nerves leading to paralysis
Diphtheria toxins are very powerful and can damage nerves, leading to paralysis. This complication can occur several weeks after the first symptoms of diphtheria appear.
Palatal palsy (velopharyngeal palsy)
Palatal palsy usually appears in the third week of the disease. This is also one of the other complications that can occur when having diphtheria.
Bladder incontinence
When the nerves in this location are damaged, the patient will not be able to control bladder activity, causing frequent urination, urgency, etc. Problems related to bladder control often develop before the diaphragm is paralyzed, this can also be considered an early warning sign that the patient is at high risk of serious respiratory problems.
Diaphragm paralysis
The diaphragm plays a very important role in the respiratory system, helping to maintain life. However, in people with diphtheria, the diaphragm is suddenly paralyzed for a long time, putting the patient at high risk of death.
Diaphragmatic paralysis complications often appear several weeks after symptoms of diphtheria, even when the patient has recovered from the initial infection or appear after complications of lung infection, myocarditis, etc.
Lung infection (respiratory failure or pneumonia)
This complication can occur in the 5th week of the disease, leading to paralysis of the limbs, diaphragm and oculomotor nerves. This causes the patient to experience difficulty breathing, suffocation more often, and can even lead to lung infections (pneumonia or respiratory failure).
Death
Diphtheria is very dangerous, even when treated promptly, about 1/10 of patients die from this disease.
How to prevent diphtheria
Currently, diphtheria has a treatment and can be completely prevented effectively by vaccination. In Vietnam, although there is no single vaccine against diphtheria, people can be vaccinated with combination vaccines containing diphtheria antigens, preventing both diphtheria and many other infectious diseases with just one injection.
In addition, people also need to pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands regularly with soap; cover mouth when sneezing or coughing; limit direct contact with sick or suspected infected people.
Ensure that housing, schools and public places are clean, airy and well-lit.
People showing symptoms of diphtheria or suspected of having diphtheria should be isolated and taken to a medical facility for examination, diagnosis and timely treatment.
People living in epidemic areas need to strictly follow medical examination and treatment as well as disease prevention instructions of medical facilities.
Diphtheria is a disease that spreads quickly, has dangerous complications and especially a high mortality rate. Therefore, whether children or adults, they need to be fully vaccinated and go to the hospital for treatment as soon as symptoms appear to avoid unfortunate consequences later.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/nhung-bien-chung-nguy-hiem-cua-benh-bach-hau-d219799.html
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