It is passed from person to person by droplet transmission, usually by breathing in diphtheria bacteria after an infected person has coughed, sneezed or even laughed. It can also be spread by handling used tissues or by drinking from a glass used by an infected person.
Diphtheria can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis and sometimes death.
There is a vaccine for diphtheria. For adults, a combination shot, called a Td booster, protects against both tetanus and diphtheria. It should be administered once every 10 years after age 7 to maintain immunity. In its early stages, diphtheria may be mistaken for a severe sore throat. Another presentation of diphtheria can be skin lesions that may be painful, red and swollen.