Pertussis/Whooping cough

A bacterial infection that primarily affects the nose and throat. It usually affects the respiratory tract of infants less than 2 years old. This disease gets its name because patients with the disease make a "whooping" sound when they take a breath.

Causes

Symptoms

Symptoms usually develop 7-17 days after the initial infection by the bacteria.

Most patients who develop symptoms are under the age of 2.

Symptoms usually last about 6 weeks, and are divided into 3 stages:

Stage 1: symptoms include sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, loss of appetite, loss of energy, and nighttime coughing.

Stage 2: symptoms include a series of rapid coughs followed by the "whoop" noise when the person tries to take in a breath.

Stage 3: is the recovery phase in which the coughing is not as frequent or as severe. This stage usually begins after about the 4th week.

Whooping Cough is suspected in young patients with a cough lasting more than 2 weeks.

Prevention

• Immunization with the pertussis vaccine is recommended for all infants. This vaccine is usually administered as a DTP (diphtheria, Tetanus, and pertussis) combined vaccine
• Neither previous infection nor vaccination gives life-long immunity. However, booster doses of the vaccine are not recommended after the age of 6, unless there is an outbreak of the infection.

Source: Portal Content Team