Symptoms of diphtheria

summary

Diphtheria is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by diphtheria bacilli. It is characterized by fever, suffocation, hoarseness, barking cough, white pseudomembrane in pharynx, tonsil and surrounding tissues. Serious systemic poisoning symptoms are obvious, can be complicated with myocarditis and peripheral nerve paralysis. Symptoms of diphtheria? Let's talk about it

Symptoms of diphtheria

General type gradually onset, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, mild to moderate fever and sore throat and other symptoms. The tonsil is moderately red and swollen, on which a large milky white or grayish white pseudomembrane can be seen, but the scope is still not beyond the tonsil. The pseudomembrane begins to be thin and difficult to peel off. If it is wiped off with force, it can cause a small amount of bleeding and form a new pseudomembrane within 24 hours.

Severe tonsillar and pharyngeal edema, congestion is obvious. The pseudomembrane spread into a large area within 12-24 hours. In addition to tonsil, it also affects palatal arch, upper palate, uvula, posterior pharyngeal wall and nasopharynx, even oral mucosa. There is a rotten smell in the mouth, swollen neck lymph nodes, neck swelling, such as "cow neck". Severe systemic poisoning symptoms may include high fever or body temperature, restlessness, shortness of breath, pale complexion, vomiting, pulse speed, blood pressure drop, or heart enlargement, arrhythmia, bleeding and other critical symptoms.

Most of them are caused by the spread of pharyngeal diphtheria to the larynx, and can also be primary. It is more common in children aged 1-5 years. The onset is slow, accompanied by fever, cough is "empty" sound, hoarse voice, even aphasia. At the same time, the symptoms of respiratory obstruction are caused by pseudomembrane, edema and spasm in the larynx. Cicadas may chirp when inhaled. In severe cases, the "three concave sign" can be seen when inhaled. Laryngoscopy showed swelling and pseudomembrane in the larynx. Sometimes the pseudomembrane can extend to the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles.

matters needing attention

Patients should rest in bed and reduce activities, generally not less than 3 weeks. Pay attention to oral and nasal hygiene. Penicillin is often used. It takes 7-10 days until the symptoms disappear and the culture of diphtheria turns negative. For those who are allergic to penicillin or whose culture is still positive after one week of application of penicillin, erythromycin can be given orally or intravenously four times for the same course.