[meadowgirl]

Just wondering about diptheria.<br><br>
I have a very strange feeling in my throat and my son is sick. I've looked at symptoms, but they could be other flu like illness too.<br><br>
Anyone know much about it?

 

[Plummeting]

Oh heavens, no. You're going to have a tough time finding people under about age 60 who have experienced diphtheria!!! There are generally something like 0 to 5 cases per year in the entire US and it's been that way for over 20 years. I hate to play armchair physician, but really, I don't think you have diphtheria.<br><br>
I mean this in the nicest way, but I think you might want to get a little more acquainted with the vaccine preventable diseases if diphtheria is the first thing that comes to your mind when you have a sore throat. It sounds like you're really afraid of not vaccinating because you don't know a lot about the diseases yet. It's totally normal. We've <i>all</i> been through it - I promise! As you learn more, you will become less and less afraid. It takes time, though. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug">

 

[meadowgirl]

It's true that I do tend to worry when my son gets sick -- probably more than most people since we don't vax.<br><br>
I guess I was most worried because this feeling in my throat has been so strange. It's not really sore so much as "full" feeling. I guess it's just swollen glands. I did some more reading and don't think it's diptheria.<br><br>
I do need to understand these illnesses better though. I'm pretty much ok with most of them, but diptheria does seem a little frightening, even if it is rare.<br><br>
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Crisstiana]

The CDC has a site that might be of interest to you. It compiles statistics on all reportable diseases: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/summary.html" target="_blank">clicky!</a> This allows you to look at the incidence (number of new cases) of these diseases by year. For example, the incidence rate for diphtheria in 2001 was 2 cases.<br><br>
HTH <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[mamakay]

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<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Crisstiana</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7899307"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">The CDC has a site that might be of interest to you. It compiles statistics on all reportable diseases: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/summary.html" target="_blank">clicky!</a> This allows you to look at the incidence (number of new cases) of these diseases by year. For example, the incidence rate for diphtheria in 2001 was 2 cases.<br><br>
HTH <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"></div>
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But in their pink book chapter, they say that toxogenic diphtheria is "still circulating in areas where it was endemic in the past". When they've gone out intentionally culturing to find it, they always do, although it's not doing that weird green membrane thing anymore. (which is puzzling, but bacteria do change over time sometimes). They say it's difficult to culture, and shares "space" with s. pneumo, so it's getting misdiagnosed. It's mostly just causing sinus infections and tonsillitis now, for the most part.<br>
FWIW, it's treatable with antibiotics, just like s.pneumo is, so that's a good thing.

 

[mamakay]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Plummeting</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7897964"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Oh heavens, no. You're going to have a tough time finding people under about age 60 who have experienced diphtheria!!! There are generally something like 0 to 5 cases per year in the entire US and it's been that way for over 20 years. I hate to play armchair physician, but really, I don't think you have diphtheria.<br><br>
I mean this in the nicest way, but I think you might want to get a little more acquainted with the vaccine preventable diseases if diphtheria is the first thing that comes to your mind when you have a sore throat. It sounds like you're really afraid of not vaccinating because you don't know a lot about the diseases yet. It's totally normal. We've <i>all</i> been through it - I promise! As you learn more, you will become less and less afraid. It takes time, though. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"></div>
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LOL! Or you can research yourself into a state of pure terror, like me. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br>
I had a sore throat a few months ago, and I kept neurotically checking my tonsils for spots.<br>
I still think I might have had diphtheria.<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/kewl.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="kewl">

 

[Plummeting]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>mamakay</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7899386"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">LOL! Or you can research yourself into a state of pure terror, like me. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br>
I had a sore throat a few months ago, and I kept neurotically checking my tonsils for spots.<br>
I still think I might have had diphtheria.<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/kewl.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="kewl"></div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> I've done that with other things - diphtheria's just so rare that I really don't think about it.

 

[Deborah]

Yeah, terrorising yourself about illnesses can be sort of fun in a really sick way. One of my best was many years ago. A large mole on my face got sore and swollen and I thought: cancer! It turned out to be a pimple.<br><br>
I also had a big lump in my breast once. Huge hassle. My doctor was really worried and sent me for an ultrasound and an exam with a breast expert. The breast expert poked me for a while, told me I had 18 lumps, but he was sure they were all cysts (this was almost 20 years ago, so he was right) and suggested I give up chocolate. I was so scared that I went a good six months before eating chocolate again.<br><br>
Some of us should never, never read about diseases.

 

[Spy]

I come from a place with more or less endemic diphtheria. Although any sore throat can be it, it can also be a million other things, and this other million is a lot more likely in your area. Toxogenic form of diphtheria is hard to miss, but it doesn't have to be always toxogenic. If it's not, it pretty much doesn't matter, comes and goes.

 

[lyttlewon]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>mamakay</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7899386"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">LOL! Or you can research yourself into a state of pure terror, like me. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br>
I had a sore throat a few months ago, and I kept neurotically checking my tonsils for spots.<br>
I still think I might have had diphtheria.<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/kewl.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="kewl"></div>
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Here is one to drive you batty. DH's grandfather died of Huntingtons. His aunt and cousin just found out they have it. I have no clue if my FIL is a carrier or if DH has it or if my children would have it. If that isn't enough to send you to the coocoo house I don't know what is. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/nut.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="nut">

 

[Deborah]

Yikes! That is scary.<br><br>
Is there any way to find out what the likelihood is?

 

[mamakay]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Spy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7900600"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I come from a place with more or less endemic diphtheria. Although any sore throat can be it, it can also be a million other things, and this other million is a lot more likely in your area. Toxogenic form of diphtheria is hard to miss, but it doesn't have to be always toxogenic. If it's not, it pretty much doesn't matter, comes and goes.</div>
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It *is* hard to miss, though.<br><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/dip.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/dip.pdf</a><br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">Although diphtheria disease is rare in the United States, <b>it<br>
appears that</b> <b>Corynebacterium diphtheriae continues to<br>
circulate in areas of the country with previously endemic<br>
diphtheria.</b> In 1996, 10 isolates of C. diphtheriae were<br>
obtained from persons in an Native American community<br>
in South Dakota. <b>Eight of these isolates were toxigenic.<br>
None of the infected persons had classic diphtheria disease,<br>
although five had either pharyngitis or tonsillitis</b>. The<br>
presence of toxigenic C. diphtheriae in this community is a<br>
good reminder for providers not to let down their guard<br>
against this organism.</td>
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...and the CDC only found it then because they decided to look really hard to see if it was still out there. And that was the last time they even looked.<br>
It's just being misdiagnosed because it's doing "normal" bacteria stuff...no weirdo membrane things...and it's really hard to culture.<br><br>
ETA:<br>
Here's the report.<br><a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19559545.html" target="_blank">http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19559545.html</a>

 

[Crisstiana]

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<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>lyttlewon</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7900967"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Here is one to drive you batty. DH's grandfather died of Huntingtons. His aunt and cousin just found out they have it. I have no clue if my FIL is a carrier or if DH has it or if my children would have it. If that isn't enough to send you to the coocoo house I don't know what is. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/nut.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="nut"></div>
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Sorry to go way OT, but:<br><br>
I'm very sorry to hear that about your husband's aunt, cousin, and grandfather. What a scary, heartbreaking disease! But (and maybe I am misreading your post and you know all of this already - if so, sorry!) Huntington's is an autosomal dominant disease with complete penetrance, so if your FIL has the gene he will eventually show symptoms - there are no true asymptomatic carriers, just presymptomatic people. Symptoms usually begin to show by age 35. If your FIL doesn't have the gene, your husband and kids can't have it. Also, there are genetic tests that can tell you whether you have the gene or not (testing is obviously a very big deal and is extensive pre-testing counseling is usually available to help a person decide whether testing at that time is right for her/him). Due to the natural of the transmisison, testing can also give some indication of the possible time of onset of disease.<br><br>
I hope your FIL is clear of the disease and your family doesn't have to live under that shadow of doubt for long. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"><br><br>
From eMedicine: <a href="http://www.emedicinehealth.com/huntington_disease_dementia/article_em.htm" target="_blank">Huntington Disease</a>

 

[LongIsland]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>mamakay</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7901071"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">...and the CDC only found it then because they decided to look really hard to see if it was still out there. And that was the last time they even looked.<br><br>
It's just being misdiagnosed because it's doing "normal" bacteria stuff...no weirdo membrane things...and it's really hard to culture.</div>
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I'd love to know whether or not doctors routinely test the tens of thousands of children hospitalized with symptoms of croup for diptheria, since diptheria and croup were once considered one in the same. Doctors certainly don't do it during a sick office visit for croup.<br><br>
You don't seek, you don't find.

 

[annettemarie]

Moving to health and healing

 

[lyttlewon]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Crisstiana</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7901277"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Sorry to go way OT, but:<br><br>
I'm very sorry to hear that about your husband's aunt, cousin, and grandfather. What a scary, heartbreaking disease! But (and maybe I am misreading your post and you know all of this already - if so, sorry!) Huntington's is an autosomal dominant disease with complete penetrance, so if your FIL has the gene he will eventually show symptoms - there are no true asymptomatic carriers, just presymptomatic people. Symptoms usually begin to show by age 35. If your FIL doesn't have the gene, your husband and kids can't have it. Also, there are genetic tests that can tell you whether you have the gene or not (testing is obviously a very big deal and is extensive pre-testing counseling is usually available to help a person decide whether testing at that time is right for her/him). Due to the natural of the transmisison, testing can also give some indication of the possible time of onset of disease.<br><br>
I hope your FIL is clear of the disease and your family doesn't have to live under that shadow of doubt for long. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"><br><br>
From eMedicine: <a href="http://www.emedicinehealth.com/huntington_disease_dementia/article_em.htm" target="_blank">Huntington Disease</a></div>
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Yes I do know that thanks! FIL is 60 so technically he shouldn't have the disease because he has no symptoms however the Aunt's doc says it is still possible for him to show symptoms. His sister didn't have symptoms until her 50's which is late for huntingtons. FIL isn't willing to fork out the money for the genetics testing. I have asked dh to do it himself but he doesn't want to know <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shrug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="shrug">