Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Diphtheria differential diagnosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Respiratory diphtheria must be differentiated from respiratory tract or other infections that present with fever, neck swelling, cough and/or pharyngeal exudates. Cutaneous diphtheria must be differentiated from other bacterial and fungal causes of skin ulceration.
Differentiating diphtheria from other diseases
Differentiating diphtheria from other diseases
Differentiating respiratory diphtheria from other diseases
A group of respiratory diseases can present with symptoms such as fever, sore throat, pharyngeal exudates and/or neck swelling, which may mimic the symptoms of a diphtheria infection. These include:[1]
- Infectious mononucleosis due to EBV
- Group A streptococci pharyngitis
- Epiglottitis due to Hemophilus influenza type b
- Viral pharyngitis due to influenza, HSV or adenovirus
- Vincent’s angina
- Oral candidiasis
Differentiating cutaneous diphtheria from other diseases
Cutaneous diphtheria due to Corynebacterium diphtheria must be differentiated from other bacterial and fungal diseases that present with a shallow ulcer on the skin:[2]
- Bacterial causes:
- Pyoderma due to Staphylococcus aureus or Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci
- Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
- Cutaneous Anthrax due to Bacillus Anthracis
- Cutaneous mycobacterial infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium marinum or Mycobacterium ulcerans
- Fungal causes:
References
References
- ↑ Center for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/diphtheria/downloads/dip-cklist-diag.pdf Accessed on Oct. 7, 2016.
- ↑ Zeegelaar JE, Faber WR (2008). “Imported tropical infectious ulcers in travelers”. Am J Clin Dermatol. 9 (4): 219–32. PMID 18572973.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Dima Nimri, M.D. [2]