Which condition is described by a thick gray membrane covering the throat and tonsils, causing breathing difficulty?

Which condition is described by a thick gray membrane covering the throat and tonsils, causing breathing difficulty?

• A. Exclusion
• B. Diphtheria
• C. Pertussis
• D. Measles

Answer: (B)

A thick gray membrane coating the throat and tonsils that can block the airway is a classic sign of diphtheria. That pseudomembrane forms on the mucous membranes and can tighten, leading to breathing difficulty, which makes diphtheria a medical emergency. Diphtheria is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae and is preventable with vaccination, so recognizing it also highlights the importance of vaccines and early treatment to protect the child and others. The other options don’t fit this description: pertussis causes a severe, prolonged cough sometimes with a whoop, but not a gray throat membrane; measles presents with fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and a distinctive rash (and sometimes spots in the mouth), not a throat pseudomembrane; an exclusion policy is about school health rules, not a disease.

A thick gray membrane coating the throat and tonsils that can block the airway is a classic sign of diphtheria. That pseudomembrane forms on the mucous membranes and can tighten, leading to breathing difficulty, which makes diphtheria a medical emergency. Diphtheria is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae and is preventable with vaccination, so recognizing it also highlights the importance of vaccines and early treatment to protect the child and others. The other options don’t fit this description: pertussis causes a severe, prolonged cough sometimes with a whoop, but not a gray throat membrane; measles presents with fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and a distinctive rash (and sometimes spots in the mouth), not a throat pseudomembrane; an exclusion policy is about school health rules, not a disease.