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Diphtheria

Diphtheria · Záškrt (difterie)

What it is

A toxin-making throat bacterium that forms a grey membrane and can choke or poison the heart; vaccination made it rare, and gaps in vaccination bring it back.

Symptoms & signs

  • Sore throat and fever
  • grey membrane on the tonsils and throat
  • 'bull neck' swelling
  • noisy breathing
  • heart rhythm problems and paralysis later

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Noisy breathing, struggling to breathe or to swallow
  • call 112 / 911 now Grey coating in the throat with a very swollen neck
  • call 112 / 911 now Racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting
  • see a doctor soon Weakness of the face, eyes or palate weeks after a sore throat

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Throat swab and culture
  • diphtheria antitoxin urgently
  • penicillin or erythromycin
  • airway care
  • vaccinate contacts; booster every 10 years

Natural & lifestyle

  • Stay up to date with vaccination

Emerging & experimental

  • Monoclonal antitoxins

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Homeopathic nosodes — no protection not confirmed in trials
  • Gargles of salt, honey and lemon — soothing only anecdotal / traditional
  • Herbal throat remedies — cannot neutralise the toxin anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes