Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report
Abstract Background Diphtheria is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although waning in incidence diphtheria can cause severe disease as in this rare Swedish case with several complications. Case presentation A 55-year old male presented to the emergency room with severe respiratory symptoms and...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-07-01
|
| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-018-3264-9 |
| _version_ | 1818528812587024384 |
|---|---|
| author | Sten Skogmar Johan Tham |
| author_facet | Sten Skogmar Johan Tham |
| author_sort | Sten Skogmar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Diphtheria is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although waning in incidence diphtheria can cause severe disease as in this rare Swedish case with several complications. Case presentation A 55-year old male presented to the emergency room with severe respiratory symptoms and greyish membranes in the airways, which turned positive for C. diphtheriae. He was put on ventilator support and remained hospitalized for three months. During care he developed myocarditis and severe neurological disease and he was also co-infected with tuberculosis. The patient was discharged with a favorable outcome. Conclusions Diphtheria should be suspected in patients with life-threatening pneumonia especially if the patient has a history of travelling. Our patient was not treated with diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) which may have contributed to the severity of the disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:54:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb6344df5fda4953b8173741e40ccea1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:54:53Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb6344df5fda4953b8173741e40ccea12022-12-22T01:16:48ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342018-07-011811510.1186/s12879-018-3264-9Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case reportSten Skogmar0Johan Tham1Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Infection Medicine, Lund University, Skåne University HospitalDepartment of Translational Medicine, Clinical Infection Medicine, Lund University, Skåne University HospitalAbstract Background Diphtheria is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although waning in incidence diphtheria can cause severe disease as in this rare Swedish case with several complications. Case presentation A 55-year old male presented to the emergency room with severe respiratory symptoms and greyish membranes in the airways, which turned positive for C. diphtheriae. He was put on ventilator support and remained hospitalized for three months. During care he developed myocarditis and severe neurological disease and he was also co-infected with tuberculosis. The patient was discharged with a favorable outcome. Conclusions Diphtheria should be suspected in patients with life-threatening pneumonia especially if the patient has a history of travelling. Our patient was not treated with diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) which may have contributed to the severity of the disease.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-018-3264-9DiphtheriaCorynebacterium diphtheriaeRespiratory diseaseNeurological manifestationsMyocarditisTuberculosis |
| spellingShingle | Sten Skogmar Johan Tham Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report BMC Infectious Diseases Diphtheria Corynebacterium diphtheriae Respiratory disease Neurological manifestations Myocarditis Tuberculosis |
| title | Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report |
| title_full | Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report |
| title_short | Severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a Swedish patient: a case report |
| title_sort | severe diphtheria with neurologic and myocardial involvement in a swedish patient a case report |
| topic | Diphtheria Corynebacterium diphtheriae Respiratory disease Neurological manifestations Myocarditis Tuberculosis |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-018-3264-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stenskogmar severediphtheriawithneurologicandmyocardialinvolvementinaswedishpatientacasereport AT johantham severediphtheriawithneurologicandmyocardialinvolvementinaswedishpatientacasereport |