Pertussis | Whooping cough | Contagious respiratory infection

 

Pertussis or Whooping cough which is highly considered as contagious respiratory tract infection. In many people with this whooping cough can be marked by a severe cough which is followed by a high pitched inhaling of breath which usually sounds like “whoop”. This cough is called Whooping cough.

Before the vaccination was identified, whooping cough will be considered as a childhood disease. Nowadays, whooping cough majorly affects your children who are too young under the age of 12 months need to complete the full vaccination doses and people like teens and adults whose immunity levels have faded.

In some rare cases, whooping cough leads to death but it mostly occurs in infants. Hence, it is very important for pregnant women and people, especially those who have close contact with infants, to be vaccinated against whooping cough.

Symptoms

Once you are infected with whooping cough, usually it takes almost 7 to 10 days for signs to appear although it takes a longer period. Usually they are mild at first stage which then resemblance of common cold:

• Runny nose

• Nasal congestion

• Red, watery eyes

• Fever

• Cough

After a week or more than two, signs and symptoms must worsen. Thick mucus which is accumulated inside your airways, which typically causes you uncontrollable cough. If you have severe and prolonged cough attacks:

• It may Provoke vomiting

• It may result in a red or blue face

• It causes extreme fatigue

• severe cough which is followed by a high pitched inhaling of breath which usually sounds like “whoop”

Many people with whooping cough don’t develop any characteristics of whoop. Sometimes, a continuous cough is the only sign adults have whooping cough. But Infants do not cough at all.Instead of coughing, infants may struggle to breathe or they may even stop breathing temporarily.

Causes

Typically, this Pertussis is caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. When the pertussis infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny small germs spread in air droplets which can be sprayed into the air and it can breathe into the lungs of anyone who is nearby.

Risk factors

You can receive the whooping cough vaccine as a child which eventually wears off. This typically leaves most of the teenagers and adults which are susceptible to the infection especially during the outbreak of pertussis infection.

Especially infants who are younger than age 12 months and particularly those who are unvaccinated or you have not received the full set of vaccine dose have the greatest risk for severe complications and also for fatal.

Complications

But teens and adults mostly recover from whooping cough without any serious problems. When complications happen, they tend to be side effects of strained cough, such as:

• Bruised or cracked ribs

• Abdominal hernias

• In the skin, broken blood vessels or the whites of your eyes are broken

Diagnosis

Diagnosing whooping cough in its early stages will be difficult because the symptoms usually resemble those of other common respiratory problems like cold, the flu or bronchitis.

Sometimes, your healthcare provider will diagnose the whooping cough infection by asking about your symptoms and listening to the sound while you cough. And also they need some medical tests to confirm the diagnosis. Tests are:

• A nose or throat culture and test. Your healthcare provider takes a swab or suction sample from the nose and throat meet point called nasopharynx. Then the sample is checked for evidence of the presence of pertussis bacteria.

• Blood tests. A blood test will be drawn and it can be sent to the lab to check your count of white blood cells because they help the body to fight against infections like whooping cough. A high number of white blood cells usually indicates the presence of infection or inflammation.

• A chest X-ray. Your provider suggests you take an x-ray to check the presence of inflammation or fluid in the lungs, which then happens when pneumonia complicates whooping cough and also some other respiratory illnesses.

Treatment

Generally, infants are hospitalized for treatment because whooping cough creates very dangerous complications to that age group. If your child can't take liquids or foods, IV may be necessary for them. Your child will be isolated from others to prevent the infection from spreading. Usually, treatments for older children and adults can be managed at home.

Prevention

One of the best ways to prevent pertussis is with the pertussis vaccine, which doctors can give in one more combination of vaccines against some other serious health illness like diphtheria and tetanus. Your provider will recommend beginning vaccines during infancy.

This pertussis vaccine consists of a series of five injections, which can be given to children at the below ages:

• 2 months

• 4 months

• 6 months

• 15 to 18 months

• 4 to 6 years

Vaccine side effects

Usually, the side effects of pertussis vaccine are mild that includes fever, crankiness, headache, fatigue or soreness at the area of the injection site.

Preventive medications

If you are exposed to someone who are infected with whooping cough, your provider may suggests some antibiotics which helps to protect against the infection if you:

• Are a healthcare professional

• Are pregnant

• Are younger than 12 months of age

• Have a health condition which could put you at highest risk of severe illness or complications like weakened immune system or asthma

• Live with someone who infected with whooping cough

• If you are live with someone who are at greatest risk of developing severe health issuses or complications from a whooping cough infection

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is pertussis and its symptoms?

Ans: Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a respiratory infection that can cause coughing fits.

Q2. What causes pertussis?

Ans: It is caused by a bacterium (Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis ) that is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person.

Q3. Is pertussis curable?

Ans: Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics, but treatment may not cure the symptoms. 

Q4. Is there a vaccine for pertussis?

Ans: There are 2 vaccines that include protection against whooping cough.

Q5. How is pertussis spread?

Ans: Pertussis bacteria are spread through droplets produced during coughing or sneezing.