Diphtheria
The symptoms of diphtheria usually begin two to seven days after you become infected.
The time it takes for symptoms to develop is called the incubation period.
If you have diphtheria, a grey-white coating (membrane) can develop inside your throat. It covers the back of your throat and tonsils, and can obstruct your breathing.
Symptoms of diphtheria also include:
Diphtheria can occasionally affect the skin rather than the throat. This is known as cutaneous diphtheria.
If you have cutaneous diphtheria, you will develop pus-filled spots on your skin, usually on your legs, feet and hands. These blisters and spots will form into a large ulcer surrounded by a red patch of discoloured, sore-looking skin. The ulcer usually heals within two to three months, but it's likely to leave a scar .
Diphtheria is a potentially fatal contagious bacterial infection that mainly affects the nose and throat, and sometimes the skin. It is very rare in England.
Symptoms of diphtheria can include a fever, chills, a sore throat and extreme tiredness. They begin two to seven days after you become infected.
Diphtheria is treated using antibiotics and antitoxins. You will be immediately referred to hospital and admitted toan isolation ward to stop it from spreading.
Diphtheria can cause potentially life-threatening complications, such as breathing difficulties and problems with the heart and nervous system.
The most effective way of preventing diphtheria is to ensure that all of your vaccinations are up-to-date.