Diphtheria — Clinical Features, Complications and Management

A 7-year-old child with diphtheria is brought to the hospital. Which of the following complications is most likely to occur if antitoxin is not administered within the first 48 hours of symptom onset?

Which toxin produced by Corynebacterium diphtheriae is responsible for the characteristic pseudomembrane formation and systemic complications in diphtheria?

Which of the following is the most characteristic neurological complication of diphtheria and typically occurs in the third to fourth week of illness?

A 4-year-old child with suspected diphtheria presents with a thick pharyngeal membrane, fever, and cervical lymphadenopathy. The child has also developed bilateral lower limb weakness and difficulty in accommodation 2 weeks after onset of illness. Which investigation would best confirm the diagnosis of diphtheria-related neurological complication?

A 6-year-old unvaccinated child from rural India presents with a thick, adherent, greyish-white pseudomembrane over the tonsils and pharynx, along with low-grade fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. Which is the most common site of diphtheria in this patient?