Diphtheria facts for kids
Diphtheria (say it like "diff-THEER-ee-uh") is a serious sickness caused by tiny living things called bacteria. The specific bacteria is named Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Luckily, doctors can treat diphtheria with special medicines, including antibiotics. There's also a vaccine that can stop you from getting diphtheria in the first place.
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What Diphtheria Can Do to Your Body
Diphtheria can cause some very serious health problems. These include:
- Heart problems: It can make your heart swell up, which can be very dangerous.
- Nerve damage: The bacteria can release poisons that hurt your nerve cells, leading to different types of paralysis (when you can't move parts of your body).
- Lung infection: It can cause pneumonia, which is a serious lung infection.
- Brain swelling: In some cases, it can lead to encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain.
- Kidney issues: It can also cause problems with your kidneys.
Signs and Symptoms of Diphtheria
The signs that someone has diphtheria usually show up about two to five days after they get infected. Here are some things to look out for:
- A thick, gray layer: A gray film or membrane might cover the back of the throat and tonsils.
- Sore throat and hoarse voice: Your throat will hurt, and your voice might sound rough.
- Swollen neck glands: The glands (which are like small filters) in your neck can get big and swollen.
- Trouble breathing: You might find it hard to breathe, or you might breathe very fast.
- Runny nose: Your nose might run a lot.
- Fever and chills: You could have a fever and feel cold and shaky.
- Feeling very tired: You might feel extremely tired and have no energy at all.
Sometimes, people can have the diphtheria bacteria in their body but only get a very mild sickness, or no symptoms at all. These people are called carriers. They can still spread the infection to others even if they don't feel sick themselves.
Diphtheria on the Skin
There's another kind of diphtheria that affects the skin. This is called cutaneous diphtheria. It causes pain, redness, and swelling on the skin, much like other skin infections caused by bacteria. People with cutaneous diphtheria might get open sores, called ulcers, on their skin. These ulcers can also be covered by a gray layer.
Cutaneous diphtheria is more common in places with tropical climates, which are warm and humid all year round. However, it can also happen in other places, like the United States. It's more often seen among people who have poor hygiene or live in crowded areas.
Images for kids
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A diphtheria immunisation scheme in London, 1941
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A poster from the United Kingdom advertising diphtheria immunization (published prior to 1962)
See also
In Spanish: Difteria para niños
