Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- 121 Actinomycosis
- 122 Anaerobic Infections
- 123 Anthrax and Other Bacillus Species
- 124 Bartonellosis (Carrión's Disease)
- 125 Cat Scratch Disease and Other Bartonella Infections
- 126 Bordetella
- 127 Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis
- 128 Brucellosis
- 129 Campylobacter
- 130 Clostridia
- 131 Corynebacteria
- 132 Enterobacteriaceae
- 133 Enterococcus
- 134 Erysipelothrix
- 135 HACEK
- 136 Helicobacter Pylori
- 137 Gonococcus: Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
- 138 Haemophilus
- 139 Legionellosis
- 140 Leprosy
- 141 Meningococcus and Miscellaneous Neisseriae
- 142 Listeria
- 143 Nocardia
- 144 Pasteurella Multocida
- 145 Pneumococcus
- 146 Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Burkholderia
- 147 Rat-Bite Fevers
- 148 Salmonella
- 149 Staphylococcus
- 150 Streptococcus Groups A, B, C, D, and G
- 151 Viridans Streptococci
- 152 Poststreptococcal Immunologic Complications
- 153 Shigella
- 154 Tularemia
- 155 Tuberculosis
- 156 Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
- 157 Vibrios
- 158 Yersinia
- 159 Miscellaneous Gram-Positive Organisms
- 160 Miscellaneous Gram-Negative Organisms
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
131 - Corynebacteria
from Part XVIII - Specific Organisms – Bacteria
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- 121 Actinomycosis
- 122 Anaerobic Infections
- 123 Anthrax and Other Bacillus Species
- 124 Bartonellosis (Carrión's Disease)
- 125 Cat Scratch Disease and Other Bartonella Infections
- 126 Bordetella
- 127 Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis
- 128 Brucellosis
- 129 Campylobacter
- 130 Clostridia
- 131 Corynebacteria
- 132 Enterobacteriaceae
- 133 Enterococcus
- 134 Erysipelothrix
- 135 HACEK
- 136 Helicobacter Pylori
- 137 Gonococcus: Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
- 138 Haemophilus
- 139 Legionellosis
- 140 Leprosy
- 141 Meningococcus and Miscellaneous Neisseriae
- 142 Listeria
- 143 Nocardia
- 144 Pasteurella Multocida
- 145 Pneumococcus
- 146 Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Burkholderia
- 147 Rat-Bite Fevers
- 148 Salmonella
- 149 Staphylococcus
- 150 Streptococcus Groups A, B, C, D, and G
- 151 Viridans Streptococci
- 152 Poststreptococcal Immunologic Complications
- 153 Shigella
- 154 Tularemia
- 155 Tuberculosis
- 156 Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
- 157 Vibrios
- 158 Yersinia
- 159 Miscellaneous Gram-Positive Organisms
- 160 Miscellaneous Gram-Negative Organisms
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
Summary
CORYNEBACTERIUM DIPHTHERIAE (DIPHTHERIA)
Diphtheria is an acute, infectious, preventable, and sometimes fatal disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The infection is usually localized to the upper part of the respiratory tract and the skin; from here it gives rise to local and systemic signs or it can be asymptomatic. These signs are the result of a toxin produced by the microorganisms multiplying at the site of infection. The systemic complications particularly affect the heart and the peripheral nerves.
Cause
Diphtheria is distributed worldwide, with the highest incidence in temperate climates. It occurs predominantly under poor socioeconomic conditions, where crowding is common and where many persons are either not immunized or inadequately immunized. There have been reports of diphtheria outbreaks in the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. Diphtheria is seen in developed countries in people that return and travel to endemic areas as well as in immigrants from endemic areas.
The only significant reservoir of C. diphtheriae is the human host. The organism is transmitted directly from one person to another, and intimate contact is required. Transmission is usually by way of infected droplets of nasopharyngeal secretions. Infective skin exudate has been involved in human-to-human transmission. Transmission may also occur via animals, fomites, or milk. The infectious period is usually 2 weeks from onset of symptoms, as long as 6 weeks, and, if treated with antibiotics, to less than 4 days.
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- Information
- Clinical Infectious Disease , pp. 937 - 944Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008