Table of contents:
- When will diphtheria treatment be given?
- Diphtheria treatment to stop poison
- Antitoxin for diphtheria treatment
- DAT diphtheria treatment side effects
- Diphtheria medicine to get rid of bacteria
- Advanced diphtheria treatment
Diphtheria requires medical treatment as soon as possible. The reason is, without emergency medical action diphtheria can cause more fatal effects, and even increase the risk of death. In medical treatment, doctors will provide diphtheria treatment which aims to eradicate the infection, eliminate diphtheria toxins, and reduce diphtheria symptoms. What diphtheria drugs does the doctor give?
When will diphtheria treatment be given?
Diphtheria is caused by a bacterial infection that produces dangerous toxins. This disease has distinctive symptoms that can distinguish it from other diseases, namely the presence of a pseudomembranous which is usually attached to the tonsils, throat, or nose.
Pseuidomembran is a thick gray membrane that has a smooth texture like mucus and sticks hard to the layer underneath. This layer can block the flow of air in the respiratory tract, causing diphtheria sufferers to have difficulty breathing and swallowing food.
The bacterial infection that causes diphtheria that occurs in the upper respiratory tract can also cause swelling in the neck or neck bull neck.
Doctors can identify diphtheria through these two distinctive symptoms, although the doctor will then carry out a further diagnosis process through a physical examination and culture samples in the laboratory.
Diphtheria treatment will be given by the doctor immediately when the signs of diphtheria are identified and the patient experiences severe symptoms, while waiting for the results of a diagnosis from the laboratory.
In the treatment of diphtheria this is important because it can prevent serious complications of diphtheria. Without proper diphtheria treatment, this disease can cause damage to other organs, such as the kidneys, heart and nervous system.
There are three steps of diphtheria treatment that are usually carried out by doctors or medical personnel, such as providing breathing assistance using a breathing device, administering diphtheria drugs in the form of antitoxins, and administering antibiotics.
Diphtheria treatment to stop poison
Diphtheria-causing bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriaewhich multiply in the body releasing toxins or poisons that can damage tissues, especially cells in the respiratory tract, heart, and nervous system.
There is a time lag between the time bacteria secretes toxins and when the toxins from the bacteria invade or enter the cells in the body. Diphtheria treatment needs to be done as soon as possible before the poison can cause severe cell damage. To overcome this, the doctor will give a diphtheria antitoxin drug (DAT).
Antitoxin for diphtheria treatment
DAT has long been used as an antitoxin for diphtheria since the diphtheria outbreak was first discovered. DAT can only be given directly by a doctor and is only available at health care centers, such as hospitals.
This diphtheria drug functions to neutralize toxins circulating in the body and prevent the development of diphtheria.
However, DAT cannot neutralize toxins that have already damaged cells in the body. Therefore, delayed DAT administration can increase the risk of death. Diphtheria treatment through DAT can be given as soon as possible after a clinical diagnosis, without waiting for confirmation of the laboratory diagnosis.
Antitoxin will be given more routinely when the diagnostic results from the laboratory have shown that the patient is positive for diphtheria infection.
Diphtheria treatment through DAT is not recommended in cases of cutaneous or diphtheria cutaneous diphtheriawhich shows no symptoms and the impact of significant complications. Unless the condition of the ulcer or purulent wound due to diphtheria, the skin is bigger than 2 cm square, with a more webbed texture. This condition can indicate a more severe risk of diphtheria complications.
DAT diphtheria treatment side effects
Before giving this diphtheria drug, doctors need to do some testing of the patient's sensitivity to antitoxins.
Some patients show allergic reactions to this diphtheria drug. The doctor will inject a smaller dose of DAT into the skin or drop it into the patient's eye. If the lesions on the skin or the lining of the eyes turn red, this indicates an allergic reaction.
The doctor will immediately inject an antitoxin in a larger dose than the supposed dose to eliminate negative reactions from this diphtheria treatment.
Diphtheria medicine to get rid of bacteria
The way to treat diphtheria, which can then be done is through antibiotics. It is important to know that the use of antibiotics in diphtheria treatment is not a substitute for DAT.
Although antibiotics have not been shown to affect the local cure of diphtheria infection, antibiotics are still given to eradicate bacteria from the nasopharynx so as to prevent further transmission of diphtheria to other people.
The diagnostic process through the laboratory must be completed immediately before diphtheria treatment through antibiotics is started.
The type of antibiotic recommended as a diphtheria drug is the macrolide or penicillin V class, which includes:
- erythromycin
- azithromycin
- clarithromycin
However, diphtheria treatment through antibiotics must only be given when the patient is able to swallow. Antibiotic therapy is usually given for 14 days. After this diphtheria treatment is complete, it is necessary to examine culture samples from the tonsils and throat to find out the difference in the number of bacteria.
If the bacterial toxicity level is still high, then diphtheria treatment through antibiotics needs to be extended for the next 10 days.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Disease, the doses of antibiotics as diphtheria drugs that are administered orally or by mouth for children are:
- Penicillin V: 15 mg / kg / dose or a maximum of 500 mg per dose
- Erythromycin: 15-25 mg / kg / dose or a maximum of 1 gram per dose every 6 hours
- Azithromycin: 10 mg / kg per day
While for adults are:
- Penicillin V: 500 mg per dose
- Erythromycin: 500 mg to 1 gram dose every 6 hours or a maximum of 4 grams per day
Advanced diphtheria treatment
Patients diagnosed with diphtheria cannot only undergo diphtheria treatment through drugs, they also need to undergo isolation treatment in the hospital.
Diphtheria treatment like this is done as a measure to control the spread and prevent diphtheria. The reason is, diphtheria can be transmitted very easily.
The bacteria that cause diphtheria can move through the air and are present in droplets or mucus residue secreted by an infected person when sneezing or coughing. Likewise with skin diphtheria sufferers, direct contact with open wounds can transmit this disease.
In advanced diphtheria treatment, usually the patient will be hospitalized for 14 days of giving the antibiotic diphtheria drug. Even if you are taking care at home, you need to avoid direct contact with other people until the diphtheria treatment through antibiotics is finished.
Diphtheria has the potential to cause complications such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or nervous system disorders, neuropathy. Therefore, patients not only take diphtheria drugs but also need to undergo supportive care.
One of the advanced diphtheria treatment that is carried out is by checking the heart rate with an electrocardiogram to monitor the progression of diphtheria.
