Diptheria

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

A 7 year old female presents to your office with a week long history of sore throat, cough, fever and cervical adenopathy. Examination of the throat shows erythema and a thick, gray adherent membrane over the tonsils and throat. She lives in a rural town in the panhandle of Florida. Her mother, who brought her to the clinic, does not know if she has completed all her immunization shots.

Labs: Throat swab culture on Loffler's medium (aka serum-tellurite) reveals gram positive club shaped rods.

Discussion: Corynebacterium diphtheriae causes diptheria. Treatment with antitoxin should begin immediately. Laboratory tests are needed to confirm diagnosis. Diagnosis is made by the clinical presentation and the isolation of the organism on Loffler's medium.

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