RT Journal
T1 SChool diphtheria and the germ-carrier
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2009
FD June 3
VO 301
IS 21
SP 2279
OP 2279
DO 10.1001/jama.2009.747
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.747
AB 
The discovery of the importance of the living germ-carrier in disseminating diphtheritic infection is comparatively recent. At least four types of diphtheria-carriers can be distinguished: (1) the mild or unrecognized cases; (2) the convalescents released prematurely from quarantine; (3) certain nurses, physicians and members of the family who have been in more or less close contact with the patient or germ-carrying convalescent (this class is currently denominated “contacts”), and, finally (4) those persons who have never shown signs of illness and, so far as can be discovered, have had no recent contact with a germ-carrier, but who, nevertheless, harbor the specific germ.