Diphtheria
Diphtheria Fact Sheet (PDF 13 KB)
Diphtheria can be a respiratory or a skin
infection. It is caused by a bacterium, Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The
actual disease is caused when the bacteria release a toxin, or poison, into
the person's body.
Diphtheria was once a greatly feared illness in the United States. In the
1920s, there were 100,000-200,000 cases of diphtheria each year with
13,000-15,000 deaths. Because of widespread immunization and better living
conditions, diphtheria is now rare in the United States (fewer than five
cases reported per year since 1980).
However, diphtheria still occurs in many parts of the world. |
