Diphtheria is an infectious disease transmitted by the diphtheria bacterium. The signs of the disease are: fever, reddening and swelling of the throat and tonsils with the formation of grayish-white exudates which bleed when scratched and cause a sweetish offensive breath. The complications of diphtheria include: inflammation of the cardiac muscle, difficulty in swallowing, and paralysis of the facial muscles, extremities and diaphragm - resulting, in severe cases, in cessation of breathing - and kidney damage. Diphtheria antitoxin may be injected to combat the toxin released by the diphtheria bacterium. The disease can be prevented by immunization.