MONTGOMERY COUNTY- A suspected case of Diphtheria is being investigated in Montgomery County.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that mimics the symptoms of strep throat. Dayton Montgomery County Public Health has confirmed lab results for the suspected case have been sent to the Center for Disease Control for a diagnosis. The agency's public information representative, Bill Wharton, said the individual who may be infected was isolated immediately to stop any potential spread of the possible infection.
"She had gotten black spots on her legs and she died very quickly in like a week," recalled Linda Kelly about her aunt's Diphtheria diagnosis at age 16. "It's scary it's extremely contagious and its frightening," she said in response to the investigation of the suspected case.
"The key is you'll get a white coating on the tonsils you can get it in the throat area and also down into the lung area," said Dr. David Roer. He adds symptoms can include heart, lung, and kidney disease, even death. Seeing a case when modern vaccinations exist is rare.
"It's extremely extremely rare I mean I've not seen a case in 25 years personally or know of one really in Dayton," Roer said.
Dayton Montgomery County Public Health did not confirm whether or not the person involved in the suspected case had been vaccinated. Dr. Roer thinks the suspected case is likely the result of a decline in vaccinations.
"If you get vaccinated at an early age 2, 4, 6 months that protects you very significantly from this and that's why we haven't seen a lot. But again we get a lot of parents now who are weary about vaccines and a negative impact," Roer said.
Public Health said it can take between two and three days to get test results from the CDC. They also reported family of the person who may be infected had received the proper medical attention and preventions to stop any potential spread.
Well... it's not like diptheria is one of those deadly diseases, totally manageable if you have the right diet and exercise, and burn a little sage. Nothing to worry about here. Oh wait....
"The patient may recover at this point; or if enough toxin is absorbed, develop severe prostration, striking pallor, rapid pulse, stupor, and coma, and may even die within 6 to 10 days."
"Neuritis most often affects motor nerves and usually resolves completely. Paralysis of the soft palate is most frequent during the third week of illness. Paralysis of eye muscles, limbs, and diaphragm can occur after the fifth week. Secondary pneumonia and respiratory failure may result from diaphragmatic paralysis."
"The overall case-fatality rate for diphtheria is 5%–10%, with higher death rates (up to 20%) among persons younger than 5 and older than 40 years of age. The case-fatality rate for diphtheria has changed very little during the last 50 years."