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Neurological complications of diphtheria

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Summary

Eightysix children with neurological complications of diphtheria are reported. The disease accounted for nearly 20.9% of the treated cases in the S.C.B. Medical College Hospital, Cuttack. A majority of the cases of diphtheritic paralysis occurred between the age of 2 to 5 years and there were more children from the rural than from the urban areas. Palatal paralysis was a very common neurological complication which occurred alone or in association with other types of paralyses. The different neurological manifestations did not follow any definite order or pattern. The mortaiity was more in diaphragmatic and palatal paralysis. Those who recovered did not show any residual damage.

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Mohanta, K.D., Parija, A.C. Neurological complications of diphtheria. Indian J Pediatr 41, 237–243 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02829276

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02829276

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