Nigeria has announced an outbreak of diphtheria, with 25 deaths, mostly among children, in one state. Diphtheria, or "croup," is a disease that affects the upper respiratory system due to the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which is a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium. The disease is characterized by a sore throat, mild fever, and the appearance of a sticky membrane (pseudomembrane) on the tonsils and pharynx or in the nasal cavity. Some effects of this disease may also appear on the skin, and in rare cases, it can cause inflammation of the heart muscle (about 20% of cases) or peripheral neuropathy (about 10% of cases).
New Disease Outbreak
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