[Treating diphtheria in the 21st century]

The existing recommendations for treatment of diphtheria involve the use of a hyperimmune serum neutralizing diphtheria toxin and subsequent penicillin therapy killing the pathogen. Unfortunately, diphtheria antitoxin is no longer available in the Czech Republic and this condition seems to remain permanent. Thus, the whole strategy for diphtheria treatment must be changed. Instead of penicillin, antibiotics inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis such as clindamycin or linezolid should be administered. Macrolides could be appropriate in mild to moderate disease.