Diphtheria

Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial disease. The bacteria that cause this disease most commonly infect the tonsils and other tissues in the throat, producing a toxin (poison) that circulates in the bloodstream. Symptoms include a fever, sore throat, and swollen glands. A thick, white membrane forms on the tonsils and may make breathing and swallowing difficult. The heart and nerves may also be affected, causing heart failure, paralysis, and sometimes death. The disease can be treated with a drug that neutralizes the toxin.

Diphtheria was once a widespread childhood disease that caused many deaths. Today routine vaccination of infants has nearly eliminated the disease in the United States.