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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Signs and symptoms of diphtheria may include:
- A sore throat and hoarseness
- Painful swallowing
- Swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in your neck
- A thick, gray membrane covering your throat and tonsils
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
- Nasal discharge
- Fever and chills
- Malaise
Signs and symptoms usually begin two to five days after a person becomes infected.
Some people become infected with diphtheria-causing bacteria, but they develop only a mild case of the illness or may even show no signs or symptoms of the disease. They're said to be carriers of the disease, because they may spread the disease without showing signs or symptoms of illness.
Skin (cutaneous) diphtheria
A second type of diphtheria can affect the skin, causing the typical pain, redness and swelling associated with other bacterial skin infections. Ulcers covered by a gray membrane also may develop in cutaneous diphtheria.
Although it's more common in tropical climates, cutaneous diphtheria also occurs in the United States, particularly among people with poor hygiene who live in crowded conditions.
In rare instances, diphtheria affects the eye.
When to see a doctor
Call your family doctor immediately if you or your child has been exposed to someone with diphtheria. If you're not sure whether your child has been vaccinated against diphtheria, schedule an appointment. Make sure your own immunizations are current.
- Diphtheria. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs089/en/. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Diphtheria. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch172/ch172c.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Pegram PS. Epidemiology and clinical features of diphtheria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Bortolussi R, et al. Aerobic gram-positive bacilli. In: Cohen J, et al. Cohen & Powderly: Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2004:2153.
- Daybell DK. Diagnosis and treatment of diphtheria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 6 years. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2009/09_0-6yrs_schedule_pr.pdf. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Vaccines and preventable diseases: Diphtheria vaccination. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/diphtheria/default.htm. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
