It can also be fatal. Polio is spread by contact with the stool of a person who has it or was recently immunized with the oral vaccine. This can happen while changing diapers, eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Diphtheria can cause difficulty breathing, paralysis, and heart problems. In one out of ten cases is it fatal.
Diphtheria is spread by the cough, saliva, or mucus of a person who has it.
In three out of ten cases it is fatal. Tetanus is spread by contamination of cuts or wounds. It is most severe for young infants, and about half need to be hospitalized. They can develop pneumonia, seizures and brain damage. It can also be fatal.