infections
Diphtheria
Diagnosis of Diphtheria
Culture of a sample of infected material If doctors suspect the heart is affected, electrocardiography A doctor suspects diphtheria in a sick person who has a sore throat with a pseudomembrane, particularly if the roof of the mouth is paralyzed and if the person was not vaccinated. The diagnosis is confirmed by sending a sample of material from the person's throat to a laboratory where bacteria can be grown (cultured). If doctors suspect that the heart is affected, Electrocardiography (ECG) is done. Doctors suspect skin diphtheria when people develop sores during an outbreak of respiratory diphtheria. To confirm the diagnosis, doctors take a sample from a sore and send it to a laboratory to be cultured. 