DIPTHERIA

(Health Care 1)
By: Dhen Michael C. Similatan
Etiologic Agent
• Corynebacterium diptheria
(Klebs-Loeffler bacillus)

- anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium

-identified in 1884 by Friedrich Loeffler, however the
disease itself has been known since ancient times.
Description

• Diphtheria was named by French physician

Pierre Bretonneau in 1826 and its name
derives from Greek word meaning “leather”,
referred to the pseudomembrane forming in
the throat of infected people.
Description
• Acute fibrile infection of the tonsil,
throat, nose, larynx or a wound
marked by a patch or patches of
grayish membrane.
• Nasal diptheria is commonly marked
by one sided nasal discharge and
excoriated nostrils
• Non-respiratory or cutaneous
diptheria appears as localized
punched out ulcers
Mode of Transmission
• Contact with a patient or carrier
• May be transmitted through inhaling of
bacterium containing in secretions released by
infected persons during coughing or sneezing.
• May also spread through infected objects or
foods, such as cups, toys, or towels.
Incubation Period and Period of
Communicability
• The incubation period of diphtheria lasts from
two to seven days.
• Variable until virulent bacilli have disappeared
from secretions and lesions; usually 2 weeks
and seldom more than 4 weeks.
Susceptibility, Resistance, and
Occurence
• Infants born of mothers who had diptheria
infection are relatively immuned but the
immunity disappears before the 6th month.
• Recovery from an attack of diptheria is usually
but nit necessarily followed by persistent
immunity.
• Immunity is often acquired through
unrecognized infection.
• 2/3 or more of the urban cases are in children
under 10 years of age.
 Mode of Prevention and Control
• Active immunizaton of all infants (6 weeks)
and children with 3 doses of Diptheria,
Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT) toxoid administered
at 4-6 weeks intervals and then booster doses
following year after the last dose of primary
series and another dose on the 4th or 5th year
of age.
 Mode of Prevention and Control

• Pasteurization of milk
• Education of parents
• Reporting of the case to the health officer for
proper medical care.
Public Health Nursing Responsibilities

• Carry on continuous preventive education in

the community to maintain a high level of
immunity with emphasis on the infant and
pre-school age groups.
• Observe correct techniques for taking nose
and throat cultures for diptheria.
Public Health Nursing Responsibilities

• Teach procedures of disposal by burning of

nose and throat discharges and uneaten food
as concurrent disinfection.
• Family should helped and assisted to go to the
hospital for proper medical and nursing care,
upon appearance of suspicious symptoms.
Nursing Care
• Followed prescribed dosage and correct
technique in administering anti-toxin
infections.
• Comfort of the patients should always in
mind.
• As in any other nursing care of communicable
disease patient, the visiting bag set up should
be outside the room of the patient or should
be far from the bedside of the patient .