Book Trailer for Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening bacterial disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. There are two types of diphtheria: respiratory and cutaneous. Respiratory diphtheria involves the nose, throat and tonsils, and cutaneous diphtheria involves the skin.
Transmission and Symptoms. Diphtheria is transmitted from person to person, usually via respiratory droplets. The infection is caused by bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. An infected person, unless treated with antibiotics, is infectious for two to three weeks.Symptoms include sore throat, loss of appetite, and fever.iphtheria once was a major cause of illness and death among children. The United States recorded 206,000 cases of diphtheria in 1921, resulting in 15,520 deaths. Diphtheria death rates range from about 20% for those under age five and over age 40, to 5-10% for those aged 5-40 years.