A toddler is in intensive care after contracting the first case of diphtheria of the throat in NSW in a century.
Diphtheria is a contagious and potentially deadly bacterial infection. It affects the throat and tonsils in its most severe form, resulting in a greyish- white membrane forming that can make it hard to swallow and breathe.The infection can also cause the neck to swell, according to NSW Health, while the toxin formed by bacteria can cause inflammation of the heart muscle and nerves.The North Coast Public Health Unit confirmed the case in a two-year-old child in northern NSW on Saturday.
There is no ongoing risk to the broader community but families should be alert and review their children's immunisation status, North Coast Public Health director Paul Douglas said. No other cases of diphtheria of the throat have been reported in NSW this century but less-serious cases have been reported on rare occasions. They have mainly involved skin infections.
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