The Overlooked "Spinning Angel" in the Realm of Youth

A Chronic Killer's Grim Past

Let's dive into the gruesome tale of a disease known as diphtheria, which took a significant toll during the year 1613, earning the moniker "The year of the garrotte". Juan de Soto, a medical professor and Augustinian friar from Spain, vouched for this title, as diphtheria-like symptoms have been documented since ancient times. However, de Soto wasn't merely a historian; he made notable contributions to medical knowledge.

He suggested that the heart's vitality weakens due to the disease. The culprit is none other than Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a bacterium that transmits through aerosols in the respiratory form and skin lesions. Upon initial infection, symptoms akin to the flu surface. The bacterium then produces a toxin, inflicting cell damage and causing the distinctive yellow, leather-like swelling in the throat after a few days. Patients are left choking, leading to the name "diphtheria", derived from the Greek for "leather-eater". Tracheotomies offered temporary relief, but if the toxin invaded the bloodstream, the heart and kidneys could be devastated. Infants and young children bore the brunt of diphtheria's wrath, often succumbing to the "strangling angel of children".

Europe saw waves of massive outbreaks every few years, with diphtheria claiming the lives of tens of thousands of children annually in Prussia at the turn of the 20th century. Research into antidotes bore fruit in 1890 when Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato devised a toxin-neutralizing antitoxin from infected animals' blood. The "birth of modern immunology" soon followed, but the number of cases remained high. The introduction of vaccines in the 1920s substantially reduced cases and fatalities.

Antitoxin administration reduced mortality by approximately half, but vaccines were needed for sustained prevention. When they were introduced in East and West Germany in the 1960s, the number of cases plummeted to the lower hundreds. Today, German citizens are only familiar with the disease through the triple vaccine that also offers protection against tetanus and whooping cough.

Current interest in developing new treatments for diphtheria is limited, as allergic reactions to the antitoxin are not uncommon. When the Technical University of Brunswick attempted to fund a biotechnologically produced human antibody project, they fell short. Eventually, international animal rights organization PETA stepped in, but the necessary clinical trials and mass production remain unfunded. Thus, we will likely continue to rely on antitoxins from the past.

References:[1] Diphtheria in History, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4217140/[2] Diphtheria Epidemic in New England, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26243/[3] Sled Dogs and the 1925 Nome Serum Run, https://www.alaskachildrenstrust.org/sleddogs/[4] Diphtheria Vaccines, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/diphtheria/index.html

Amid the past, a grim specter stalked humanity - the disease known as diphtheria.
Present since ancient times, diphtheria has left its mark on diverse civilizations, from the Greeks to the Romans.
Juan de Soto, a medical professor and Augustinian friar, contributed to medical understanding of the disease.
De Soto proposed that the disease weakens the heart's vitality.
The culprit behind diphtheria is Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a bacterium spreading through respiratory aerosols and skin lesions.
Initial symptoms resemble the flu, with a toxin produced by the bacterium causing throat swelling after a few days.
Patients often choke due to the distinctive yellow, leather-like swelling in the throat, leading to the name "diphtheria".
Tracheotomies offered temporary relief, but the toxin's invasion of the bloodstream can devastate the heart and kidneys.
Infants and young children were the primary victims of diphtheria's wrath.
Outbreaks in Europe were widespread, claiming tens of thousands of children annually.
In the 19th century, antidotes were researched and produced, with the "birth of modern immunology".
The introduction of vaccines in the 1920s significantly reduced cases and fatalities.
The famous 1925 diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska, led to international fame for a team of sled dogs.
Antitoxin administration reduced mortality by about half, but vaccines were needed for sustained prevention.
When introduced in East and West Germany in the 1960s, cases plummeted to the lower hundreds.
Currently, German citizens are only familiar with diphtheria through the triple vaccine protecting against tetanus and whooping cough.
Unfortunately, allergic reactions to the antitoxin are not rare.
In an attempt to develop new treatments, the Technical University of Brunswick attempted to fund a biotechnologically produced human antibody project but fell short.
International animal rights organization PETA stepped in, but clinical trials and mass production remain unfunded.
As a result, we continue to rely on antitoxins from the past for combating diphtheria.
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