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Abstract

Diphtheria is caused by a toxigenic bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae which remains as one of the important causes of illness and death among children. Globally, epidemic waves of diphtheria have killed thousands of children in early 1920s, i.e., before the vaccine era. There are four main biotypes of C. diphtheriae available namely C.d. Gravis, C.d. Intermedius, C.d. Mitis, and C.d. Belfanti. Globally, the C.d. Intermedius is most often associated with exotoxin production, although all three strains are capable of producing exotoxin. Diphtheria patients are usually prescribed for diphtheria antitoxin and antibiotics such as erythromycin/penicillin. Keeping all the pathogenic information in context, here in the present review we have accumulated all the recent updates on diphtheria and also presented a timely discussion on diagnosis and vaccination procedure, which might assist future therapeutics.

Keywords: Diphtheria; C. diphtheriae; Pseudomembrane; Antitoxin; Penicillin