Diphtheria, an infectious disease in humans, is a serious bacterial infection. This disease can be fatal if left untreated.
             The bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae causes diphtheria. (mom's book) The bacteria usually grow and multiply on or near the mucous membranes in the throat. This causes the throat to become inflamed. Corynebacterium diphtheriae is a gram positive pleiomorphic rod. (www.buddycom.com) (Sihn)
             The disease diphtheria was first described by Hippocrates in the 5th century B.C. The bacterium was first observed in diphthertic membranes by Klebs in 1883 and cultivated by Loffler in 1884. (gskvaccines.com) Diphtheria can be identified by its' gram positive pleiomorphic rods, as shown above. It can exhibit gram variability as well as the classic and club shapes of the bacterium. Another identifiable characteristic is the presence of polyphosphate inclusions called metachromatic granules. (www.buddycom.com) The public health burden of diphtheria has been low in most developing countries because most children have acquired immunity through sub clinical or cutaneous infection. The decrease in the number of humans infected with diphtheria is a result to the 1940's and 1950's increased use of the DTP vaccine. DTP is a trivalent vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid, pertussis vaccine (whooping cough), and tetanus toxoid usually given to infants in the United States. (www.buddycom.com) Recent outbreaks have been observed in the former Soviet Union, Algeria, China, Iraq, Thailand, and several countries in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe highlighted the need for the following five major activities in diphtheria control: adequate surveillance; high levels of routine immunization in appropriate age groups; prompt recognition, appropriate case management and the availability of adequate supplies of antibiotics and antitoxin; rapid case investigation and management of close contacts; and outbreak m
             ...