Corynebacterium Diphtheriae

Excerpt

The term “diphtheria“ is derived from the Greek word ‘diphtheria’ which means ‘hide or leather,’ owing to characteristics of pseudomembrane produced by the organism itself over the site of colonization. It is a vaccine-preventable but potentially lethal infection of the upper respiratory tract. The presentation may be as an asymptomatic carrier, cutaneous infection, or as pharyngitis with the following manifestation, such as sore throat, fever, malaise, and cervical lymphadenopathy. The characteristic hallmark of the disease is the formation of the pseudomembrane on the site of colonization. Anterior tonsillar pillars and posterior pharyngeal walls are the most common site of involvement. Before the introduction of universal vaccination in the 1940s - 1950, it was the primary cause of disease and death in children and young adults. However, after the introduction of universal immunization, the incidence of the disease has been reduced drastically to almost 5000 annually worldwide. Different factors, including low socioeconomic status, inadequate income, inaccessibility to public health, war and displacement, and ineffective monitoring of the immunization schedule, have led to frequent sporadic outbreaks of the disease around the world. In this topic, we aim to provide a refresher course on Corynebacterium diphtheria.