What is the COMMONEST cause of death in diphtheritic child?
Diphtheria is an acute infection of the upper respiratory tract or skin caused by toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Impoant complications of diphtheria are diphtheritic myocarditis, polyneuritis and bronchopneumonia. Myocarditis is the most common cause of death in these children with moality varying between 3-25% when associated with early myocarditis. Myocardial dysfunction occur 2-40 days after the onset of pharyngitis. Diphtheritic myocarditis is characterized by rapid thready pulse, thready pulse, indistinct hea sounds, dysrhythmias, cardiac failure and ECG showing ST-T wave changes. Ref: Ogle J.W., Anderson M.S. (2012). Chapter 42. Infections: Bacterial & Spirochetal. In W.W. Hay, Jr., M.J. Levin, R.R. Deterding, J.J. Ross, J.M. Sondheimer (Eds), CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics, 21e.
IIIrd cranial nerve palsy
Myocarditis
Tonsillitis
Septicemia