INFORMATION ON WHOOPING COUGH

Whooping cough is still a very serious disease when it occurs in children under the age of one year old. Whooping cough or pertussis is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis killed 5,000 to 10,000 people in the United States each year. Now, the pertussis vaccine has reduced the annual number of deaths to less than 30.

SYNONYMS OF WHOOPING COUGH

Synonyms and related keywords:
1. Pertussis.
2. Whooping cough.
3. Coughing.
4. Infectious diseases.
5. Respiratory tract infection.
6. Bordetella pertussis infection.
7. Pertussis infection.
8. Bordetella parapertussis infection.

CAUSES OF WHOOPING COUGH

It's caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium, which is transmitted through droplets of respiratory secretions that are coughed or sneezed into the air by someone who's already infected. Whooping cough can affect people of any age. Before vaccines were widely available, the disease was most common in infants and young children. Now that most children are immunized before entering school, the higher percentage of cases is seen among adolescents and adults.

SYMPTOMS OF WHOOPING COUGH

Main symptoms of whooping cough are:

1. Runny nose.
2. Slight fever.
3. Severe, repeated coughs that: Make breathing difficult.
4. Result in vomiting.
5. Cause a short loss of consciousness.
6. Diarrhea.
7. Choking spells in infants.
8. Mild fever - or no fever at all in early stages.
9. Running nose.
10. Sore throat.
11. Mild dry cough.
12. Sneezing.
13. Tears.
14. Tiredness.
15. Loss of appetite.

DIAGNOSIS OF WHOOPING COUGH

To confirm the diagnosis, the health professional will collect mucus from the nasopharynx and have it tested for specific types of bacteria that cause whooping cough. Blood tests or X-rays may be done to rule out other diseases or conditions. A pulse oximeter may be used to check blood oxygen levels and to help guide treatment.

TREATMENT OF WHOOPING COUGH

Erythromycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of Bordetella pertussis infection. Administration of erythromycin during the early stage of the disease may prevent it progressing to the paroxysmal or coughing stage. Hospitalization may be required, almost uniformly for infants less than 3 months and often for infants between 3 and 6 months.