Why it is said that, Diptheria licks the nerves but eats the heart?
1 Answer
Diphtheria is a disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae
This bacterium can cause a lot of manifestations like respiratory diptheria, cutaneous diptheria, invasive or disseminated diphtheria.
In case of respiratory diphtheria the patient mainly suffers from mechanical complications (asphyxia/choking) due to appearance of a tough membrane on tracheal lining but some systemic side effects too occur due to its toxin.
These conditions are manifested as myocarditis (an inflammatory condition of the myocardium, here it is sterile in nature as the bacterium itself doesn't reach the myocardium) and descending type of peripheral polyneuropathy (degeneration of peripheral nerves which is centripetal in nature).
Neurologic complications appear during 1st or 2nd week of illness and begins with dysphagia (problem in swallowing), and goes away after the disease is gone.
But cardiac damage is permanent and death may occur due to circulatory failure.
That's why it is said that Diphtheria licks the nerves but eats the heart.
