Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease that can lead to such severe complications as respiratory failure, myocarditis, polyneuropathies, and death.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} The overall case-fatality rate for diphtheria is 5%–10%, with higher death rates (up to 20%) among patients younger than 5 and older than 40 years of age.^[7]

The symptoms of diphtheria usually develop following an incubation period of 2-4 days. Early symptoms typically include sore throat, high-grade fever, myalgias, lymphadenopathy, hoarseness of voice, dyspnea, rhinorrhea, and difficulty swallowing. Without treatment, diphtheria may progress to cause airway obstruction, neuropathies, myocarditis, septicemia, shock, and death.^[1][2]

Complications that may develop as a result of diphtheria are:^{[2][8][9][10][3][4][5][6]}

• Respiratory failure
• Myocarditis
• Heart failure
• Polyneuropathies
  • 10th cranial nerve disorder
  • 9th cranial nerve disorder
  • Peripheral motor neuropathy
• Diaphragm paralysis
• Neurogenic bladder dysfunction
• Acute renal failure
• Septicemia
• Death

The overall case-fatality rate for diphtheria is 5–10%, with higher death rates (up to 20%) among patients younger than 5 and older than 40 years of age.^[7] Prognosis of diphtheria varies based on following factors:^{[11][12][13][6]}

Good prognostic factors

• Early diagnosis and treatment
• Age >15 years
• Absence of cardiac involvement

Poor prognostic factors

• Delayed diagnosis and treatment
• Age <15 years
• Presence of cardiac involvement
• Presence of complications
• Immunocompromised status

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