A non-vaccinated 5-year-old British child just returning from Africa presents with a severe sore throat but little fever. The throat has a grayish exudate on the sides of the pharynx and the child has a swollen neck. Clinical suspicion is of a disease with a circulating toxin inhibiting protein synthesis. What additional tissues are frequently involved?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The disease is diphtheria. Corynebacterium diphtheriae remains localized to the surface of the oropharynx throat and does not invade tissues; rather, the exotoxin enters the bloodstream and affects tissues, primarily the heart and nerves, causing myocarditis and recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.

A Non-Vaccinated 5-Year-Old British Child Just Returning from Africa Presents