Diphtheria

Diptheria is a reportable disease in Oklahoma.  Diptheria is an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by the bacteria, Corynebacterium diphtheriae.  The disease is highly contagious and is spread by close contact with discharges from an infected person's nose, throat, skin, eyes and lesions.  The occurrence of diptheria in the United States has largely declined through widespread vaccination.

Symptoms of the respiratory form include fatigue, fever, a mild soar throat and difficulty swallowing.  Children experience symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, chills, and a high fever.  In approximately ten percent of cases, patients experience neck swelling, which makes breathing and swallowing difficult.  Diptheria is a serious disease, with fatality rates between five to ten percent.  In children less than 5 years and adults over 40 years, the fatality rate may be as high as twenty percent.

Symptoms usually appear two to four days after infection, with a range of one to 10 days.  People who are infected with the diphtheria germ may be contagious for up to two weeks, but seldom more than four weeks. If the patient is treated with appropriate antibiotics, the contagious period can be limited to less than four days. 

The single most effective control measure is maintaining the highest possible level of immunization in the community.  Diphtheria vaccine is usually combined with tetanus vaccine and acellular pertussis vaccine to form a triple vaccine known as DTaP. This vaccine should be given at two, four, six and 15-18 months of age, and between four and six years of age. A combination of tetanus vaccine and diphtheria vaccine (Td) should be given every 10 years to maintain immunity.

ADS Resources:
Diptheria Fact Sheet

Other Resources:
CDC Diphtheria
CDC Diphtheria Travelers’ Health
WHO Diptheria