diphtheria

Pronunciation: dif-ther'e-a

Definition

A specific infectious disease due to the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae and its highly potent toxin; marked by severe inflammation that can form a membranous coating, with formation of a thick fibrinous exudate, of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, the nose, and sometimes the tracheobronchial tree; the toxin produces degeneration in peripheral nerves, heart muscle, and other tissues, diphtheria had a high fatality rate, especially in children, but is now rare because of an effective vaccine.

[G. diphthera, leather]