Overview
Introduction
Diphtheria is a serious, vaccine preventable bacterial infection caused most commonly by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
REx-PN
REx-PN
Diphtheria is a serious, vaccine-preventable bacterial infection caused most commonly by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It can affect the upper respiratory tract and, less commonly, the skin. The major danger is not only the local throat infection, but the toxin, which can damage the heart, nerves, and airway. WHO identifies diphtheria as a vaccine-preventable disease that still causes outbreaks when vaccine coverage is low. For RPN practice, the priority is early recognition, immediate isolation, airway monitoring, urgent escalation, specimen collection before antibiotics when possible, medication support, vaccination teaching, and public health notification.
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