What disease is the whiteness of the throat wall

Whitening of the throat wall is a typical symptom of pharyngeal diphtheria, which is a very dangerous disease. In severe cases, it can cause myocarditis or nerve paralysis in patients. These diseases have a great impact on the health and daily life of patients, so they need to be treated and prevented through certain methods. Below, we will introduce the relevant knowledge about pharyngeal diphtheria in detail for your reference!

1. Introduction to Diphtheria

It is an acute infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Its clinical characteristics are the formation of pseudomembranes in the pharynx, larynx, nose, etc., and systemic poisoning symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, headache, etc. In severe cases, myocarditis and nerve paralysis may occur.

2. Symptoms of diphtheria

1. Lightweight

The fever and systemic symptoms are mild, the tonsils are slightly red and swollen, and there are dot-like or small-plate pseudomembranes on them. The symptoms may disappear naturally after a few days. It is easy to misdiagnose as acute tonsillitis, and attention should be paid when diphtheria is prevalent.

2. General type

The disease onset is gradual, with fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, mild to moderate fever and sore throat. The tonsils are moderately red and swollen, and large milky white or grayish white pseudomembranes can be seen on them, but the range still does not exceed the tonsils. Sometimes the pseudomembrane is yellow, and if mixed with blood, it is dark black. The pseudomembrane is thin at the beginning, with neat edges, and is not easy to peel off. If it is wiped off forcefully, it may cause a small amount of bleeding, and a new pseudomembrane will form within 24 hours.

3. Severe type

The tonsils and pharynx are swollen and congested. The pseudomembrane spreads into large areas within 12 to 24 hours, affecting not only the tonsils but also the palatine arch, upper palate, uvula, posterior pharyngeal wall and nasopharynx, and even the oral mucosa. There is a foul odor in the mouth, the cervical lymph nodes are enlarged, and even perilymphadenitis may occur. The neck swells like a "cow's neck". The pain in the throat of pharyngeal diphtheria is mostly not obvious. Severe symptoms of systemic poisoning may include high fever or no temperature rise, irritability, rapid breathing, pale complexion, vomiting, weak and rapid pulse, decreased blood pressure, or heart enlargement, arrhythmia, as well as bleeding, thrombocytopenia and other critical symptoms.

3. Prevention methods

1. Infants aged 3 to 5 months should receive a shot of the DPT vaccine once a month, for a total of 3 shots as the primary immunization. One more shot should be given when they are 1.5 to 2 years old. At the ages of 7 and 15 years, they should receive a shot of refined diphtheria and tetanus toxoid to enhance the durability of immunity against diphtheria and protect older children and adults from diphtheria. Adults should also be given a booster shot if necessary.

2. Diphtheria patients should be isolated and treated actively in a timely manner. They should be isolated until systemic and local symptoms disappear and the culture of nasopharynx or other lesions is negative for two consecutive times. Isolation should not be lifted earlier than 7 days after treatment. The patient's secretions and utensils must be strictly disinfected. Respiratory secretions should be treated with double the amount of 5% tartaric soap (Lysol) or carbolic acid for 1 hour. Contaminated clothes and utensils should be boiled for 15 minutes. If they cannot be boiled, they should be soaked in 5% tartaric soap or carbolic acid for 1 hour. After the patient leaves, the room should be sprayed with the above disinfectant and then cleaned.

3. Contact persons in collective child and adult institutions should be observed for 7 days and undergo nasopharyngeal swab culture and diphtheria toxin test. Close adult contacts should also undergo these tests.