Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness characterized by sore throat, low-grade fever, and an adherent membrane (a pseudomembrane) on the tonsil(s), pharynx, and/or nose. A milder form of diphtheria can be restricted to the skin. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultatively anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium. Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease spread by direct physical contact or breathing the aerosolized secretions of infected individuals.
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