What You Should Know About. .
Diphtheria is an acute, sometimes fatal, disease caused by a bacillus.
The specific diphtheria bacillus produces a toxin which destroys tissues and membranes and later gets absorbed into the blood stream for distribution throughout the body tissues. It most commonly attacks the upper respiratory area including the tonsils, nose, and throat. This disease has a 10 percent case fatality rate. Diphtheria is now a rare disease in the United States, however, recent increases have been noted in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Similar to tetanus, diphtheria often affects those adults who lack initial vaccination, have incomplete vaccination, or lack booster doses.