Diphtheria

[Sarah]

A very dangerous contagious disease in which the air passages,and especially the throat, become coated with a false membrane,produced by the solidification of an inflammatory exudation. Cf.Group.

[Sarah]

An awful disease that causes the person affected by it to have trouble reading and often inhibits their ability to learn.

[Sarah]

an acute bacterial disease that usually affects the tonsils, throat, nose and/or skin. occurs from eating too many hot lunches

[Dianne]

Diphtheria is a contagious, sometimes fatal infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by the gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria (see figure How Bacteria Shape Up) Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Some types of Corynebacterium diphtheriae release a potent toxin that can damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system.

Diphtheria is caused by a bacterial infection that is now rare in developed countries.
Typical symptoms include a sore throat, general feeling of illness, and fever, sometimes with swollen lymph nodes, and a tough, gray pseudomembrane forms in the throat.
The diagnosis is based on symptoms, particularly a sore throat and the pseudomembrane, and the results of a culture.
Vaccination can help prevent this infection.
People are hospitalized and given antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

(See also Overview of Bacteria.)
Years ago, diphtheria was one of the leading causes of death among children. Today, diphtheria is rare in developed countries, primarily because of widespread vaccination. Fewer than five cases occur in the United States each year, but diphtheria bacteria still exist in the world and can cause outbreaks if vaccination is inadequate. Diphtheria is common in many countries in Asia, the South Pacific, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe and in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Outbreaks in Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, South Africa, Sudan, and Pakistan have occurred since 2011 (travel information about diphtheria is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] web site).
The bacteria that cause diphtheria are usually spread in droplets of moisture coughed into the air. Usually, the bacteria multiply on or near the surface of the mucous membranes of the mouth or throat, where they cause inflammation. This form of diphtheria is called respiratory diphtheria.
Some types of Corynebacterium diphtheriae release a potent toxin, which can damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system.
A milder form of diphtheria affects only the skin and occurs mainly in adults. This form is more common among people with poor hygiene (for example, homeless people). It spreads through contact with infected skin sores.

[Donald Trump]

a serious infectious disease that causes fever and difficulty in breathing and swallowing