Diphtheria: Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Respiratory System (J00-J99)

  • Angina tonsillaris – painful inflammation of the palatine tonsils (tonsils).
  • Pseudocroup (stenosing laryngitis) – a condition in which the mucous membrane of the larynx swells, usually below the vocal cords
  • Recurrent croup – typical causative agents/triggers: viruses, allergens, inhalant noxious agents; onset: Infancy (6th LM – 6th LJ/peak 2nd LJ).
  • Sinusitis (sinusitis).
  • Viral croup – the most common cause of acute dyspnea (shortness of breath) in childhood (6th LM – 3rd LJ); incidence: about 5% in the 2nd LJ.

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

  • Herpes infection
  • HIV infection
  • Mononucleosis (synonyms: Pfeiffeŕsches glandular fever, infectious mononucleosis, mononucleosis infectiosa, monocytenangina or kissing disease, (Student́s) kissing disease, called) – common viral disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); this affects lymph nodes, but can also affect the liver, spleen and heart.
  • Mumps (parotitis epidemica)
  • Scarlet fever (Scarlatina)
  • Viral infections such as CMV infection (cytomegalovirus infection).

Legend

  • LM: Month of life
  • LJ: year of life

See also under “Stridor/differential diagnosis/inspiratory stridor”.