Is Corynebacterium part of the DPT vaccine?
Diphtheria vaccine is a toxoid vaccine against diphtheria, an illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Its use has resulted in a more than 90% decrease in number of cases globally between 1980 and 2000.
How is Corynebacterium diphtheria immunized?
Immunization against diphtheria should begin in the second month of life with a series of three primary doses spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart, followed by a fourth dose approximately 1 year after the last primary inoculation. Diphtheria toxoid is widely used as a component in the DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccine.
What type of vaccine is used against Corynebacterium diphtheria?
Vaccines are available that can help prevent diphtheria, an infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. Four kinds of vaccines used today protect against diphtheria, all of which also protect against other diseases: Diphtheria and tetanus (DT) vaccines. Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines.
What are the complications of diphtheria?
Complications
- Airway blockage.
- Damage to the heart muscle (myocarditis)
- Nerve damage (polyneuropathy)
- Loss of the ability to move (paralysis)
- Kidney failure.
What are the symptoms of Corynebacterium Diphtheriae?
Diphtheria signs and symptoms usually begin two to five days after a person becomes infected and may include:
- A thick, gray membrane covering your throat and tonsils.
- A sore throat and hoarseness.
- Swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in your neck.
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing.
- Nasal discharge.
- Fever and chills.
What is the vaccine name for diphtheria?
The vaccine has two formulations: DTaP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) for children under 7 years. Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) for adolescents and adults.
How is Corynebacterium transmitted?
The primary modes of dissemination are by airborne respiratory droplets, direct contact with droplets, or infected skin lesions.
Is diphtheria still around today?
Diphtheria rarely occurs in the United States and Western Europe, where children have been vaccinated against the condition for decades. However, diphtheria is still common in developing countries where vaccination rates are low.
How fast does diphtheria progress?
People infected with the diphtheria bacteria, even if they don’t have any symptoms, can infect others for up to 4 weeks. The incubation period (the time it takes for a person to become infected after being exposed) for diphtheria is 2 to 4 days, although it can range from 1 to 6 days.
Where is Corynebacterium found in the body?
They are ubiquitous and can be found on the skin and in the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. The primary pathogen in this group is Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the etiologic agent of diphtheria. Additional corynebacteria include 45 species, 30 of which on rare occasion cause human disease.
What part of the human body does Corynebacterium colonize?
C. diphtheriae usually colonize a local lesion in the upper respiratory tract (although cutaneous diphtheria can occur as well) where the toxin secreted by the bacteria cases necrotic injury to epithelial cells.