In England, it was known as Boulogne sore throat, as it spread from France. In 1826, Pierre Bretonneau gave the disease the name diphthérite (from Greek διφθέρα, diphthera leather) describing the appearance of pseudomembrane in the throat.In 1856, Victor Fourgeaud described an epidemic of diphtheria in California.In 1878, Queen Victorias daughter Princess Alice and her family became infected with diphtheria, causing two deaths, Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice herself.In 1883, Edwin Klebs identified the bacterium causing diphtheria and named it Klebs–Loeffler bacterium. The club shape of this bacterium helped Edwin to differentiate it from other bacteria. Over the period of time, it was called Microsporon diphtheriticum, Bacillus diphtheriae, and Mycobacterium diphtheriae. Current nomenclature is Corynebacterium diphtheriae.Friedrich Loeffler was the first person to cultivate C. diphtheriae in 1884. He used Kochs postulates to prove association between C. diphtheriae and diphtheria. He also showed that the bacillus produces an exotoxin. Joseph P. ODwyer introduced the ODwyer tube for laryngeal intubation in patients with an obstructed larynx in 1885. It soon replaced tracheostomy as the emergency diphtheric intubation method.In 1888, Emile Roux and Alexandre Yersin showed that a substance produced by C. diphtheriae caused symptoms of diphtheria in animals.In 1890, Shibasaburo Kitasato and Emil von Behring immunized guinea pigs with heat-treated diphtheria toxin. They also immunized goats and horses in the same way and showed that an "antitoxin" made from serum of immunized animals could cure the disease in non-immunized animals.
This organism, first isolated from human sputum in 1998, requires lipids for its growth which may help to explain its association with this condition. Treatment
Treatment protocols are not well established. Some sources report that approximately half of the patients will fully recover after 2–24 months management.One review recommended complete resection or corticosteroid therapy, stating also that long-term follow-up was indicated due to a high rate of recurrence. Treatment with steroids usually requires about 6 months. While some source report very good success with steroids, most report a considerable risk of recurrence after a treatment with steroids alone. Steroids are known to cause elevation of prolactin levels and increase risk of several conditions such as diabetes, and other endocrinopathies which in turn increase the risk of IGM. For surgical treatment, recurrence rates of 5-50% have been reported.Treatment with a combination of glucocorticoids and prolactin lowering medications such as bromocriptine or cabergoline was used with good success in Germany. Prolactin-lowering medication has also been reported to reduce the risk of recurrence. In cases of drug-induced hyperprolactinemia (such as antipsychotics) prolactin-sparing medication can be tried.Methotrexate alone or in combination with steroids has been used with good success. Its principal mechanism of action is immunomodulating activity, with a side effect profile that is more favorable for treating IGM.Colchicine, azathioprine, and NSAIDs have also been used. References


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