A36.0: Pharyngeal diphtheria

You have diphtheria.

You have become infected with certain bacteria. These bacteria are called corynebacteria. These bacteria are usually transmitted person-to-person, but sometimes also from cats or dogs.

Diphtheria causes inflammation of the throat. The throat begins behind the mouth and nose. The throat connects the mouth and nose with the windpipe (trachea) and gullet (oesophagus). A sore throat, difficulty swallowing and fever are common with this disease. If the larynx is also inflamed, this results in hoarseness and severe coughing. The larynx can be seen particularly well in men as a bulging area at the front of the neck. This area is also called the Adam’s apple. The larynx is important for breathing and speaking. It consists mainly of cartilage, ligaments, and muscles. The vocal cords are also located in the larynx.

Grey-white or brownish coatings that may bleed usually form in the inflamed areas of the respiratory tract. Diphtheria can make you severely ill.

Additional indicator

On medical documents, the ICD code is often appended by letters that indicate the diagnostic certainty or the affected side of the body.

  • G: Confirmed diagnosis
  • V: Tentative diagnosis
  • Z: Condition after
  • A: Excluded diagnosis
  • L: Left
  • R: Right
  • B: Both sides

Further information

Note

This information is not intended for self-diagnosis and does not replace professional medical advice from a doctor. If you find an ICD code on a personal medical document, please also note the additional indicator used for diagnostic confidence.
Your doctor will assist you with any health-related questions and explain the ICD diagnosis code to you in a direct consultation if necessary.

Source

Provided by the non-profit organization “Was hab’ ich?” gemeinnützige GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).

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Diphtheria

Diphtheria is a bacterial infectious disease, primarily affecting the skin or upper respiratory tract. It only occurs rarely in Germany today thanks to protective vaccinations.