Corynebacterium Diphtheriae

Corynebacterium diphtheriae is a bacterium responsible for the cause of a serious and often fatal illness known as diphtheria. Diphtheria is an infection of the throat and upper airways that can cause breathing difficulties, paralysis, heart failure and death if not treated. It is spread by close contact with an infected person, coughing or sneezing, or through contact with shared objects, such as toys. Effective vaccines are available to prevent diphtheria, but the disease still affects millions of people each year, particularly in developing countries. C. diphtheriae has long been studied by medical researchers due to its ability to cause severe illness, and its genome provides insight into the function of the disease-causing potential of the bacterium. Recent investigations have focused on the use of C. diphtheriae as a potential therapy for the treatment of cancer, as well as the development of novel vaccines to protect against the disease.