Final answer:
The causative agent of diphtheria is Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a respiratory infection that can cause skin lesions. The bacterium produces a toxin called diphtheria toxin, leading to the formation of a pseudomembrane.
Step-by-step explanation:
The causative agent of diphtheria is Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Diphtheria is a respiratory infection that affects the oropharynx and can cause skin lesions.
The bacterium produces a toxin called diphtheria toxin, which blocks host-cell protein synthesis and leads to the formation of a pseudomembrane.