Whooping cough

Description

Whooping cough is a disease that can easily spread. It is also called pertussis. An infection with bacteria that cause it. Many people with the disease severe dry cough. Breathing in after coughing often cause a high-pitched noise that sounds like a death rattle.

Before the vaccine for whooping cough came out, whooping cough was considered a childhood disease. Today, whooping cough primarily affects children too young to have received all of their vaccines from the vaccine. The disease tends to affect adolescents and adults, whose vaccine protection has vanished.

Deaths associated with whooping cough are rare. More often, occur in infants. But people who are pregnant can help protect their babies by getting a booster shot of the vaccine during pregnancy. Vaccination also is recommended for other people who have contact with a baby.

Symptoms

Once you become infected with whooping cough, which takes about 5 to 10 days for symptoms to start. Sometimes it takes up to three weeks. The symptoms are often mild at first. May resemble a common cold. These may include:

  • Runny or stuffy nose.
  • Red, watery eyes.
  • Fever.
  • For cough.

After a week or two, the symptoms get worse. Thick mucus accumulates in the airways. This causes a rapid cough that can't be controlled. The cough can last for weeks or months, and can be worse at night. Intense coughing attacks can cause:

  • Vomiting.
  • A red or blue in the face.
  • Extreme tiredness.
  • A high-pitched squealing sound during the next breath of air.

People with mild illness often don't make the whistle. Sometimes, a course hacking cough is the only symptom of pertussis in adolescents and adults.

Many babies with the disease do not cough at all. Some of the babies and small children can be.

  • Gag or difficulty breathing.
  • The skin, the lips or fingernails turn blue or purple.
  • To put in danger the life pauses in breathing is called sleep apnea.

When to see a doctor

Call your health care professional if continuous attacks of coughing cause you or your child:

  • Vomiting.
  • Turn of red, purple, or blue.
  • Breathe with a whistling sound.
  • Not drinking enough fluids.

Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately if you or your child seems to struggle to breathe. Also called the emergency care if you experience a pause in breathing.

Causes

A type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny germ-filled droplets spray into the air. Any person who happens to be nearby, you can breathe in the droplets. The bacterium that causes whooping cough also can spread when people are together for a long time. Or these germs can be spread by sharing the breathing space, as the celebration of a newborn on your chest.

Risk factors

The whooping cough vaccine that you receive as a child that wears out over time. This leaves many adults and adolescents with a tendency to infection during an outbreak. And regular outbreaks to happen.

Some babies are at higher risk of serious health problems and death from whooping cough. These include infants under 12 months of age who are not vaccinated or have not received all doses of vaccine.

Complications

Teens and adults often recover from whooping cough without problems. When other health conditions occur, tend to be the side effects of severe coughing, such as:

  • Bruising or cracked ribs.
  • The tissue that protrudes through a weak spot in the muscles of the stomach area, is called an abdominal hernia.
  • Broken blood vessels in the skin or the white part of the eyes.

Adolescents and adults may also have:

  • The loss of control of the bladder.
  • The loss of weight.
  • Fainting.

Infants

Health conditions that can occur with pertussis are most serious in young babies, especially those under 6 months of age. These may include:

  • The lung infection pneumonia.
  • Infection in the ear.
  • Slowed or stopped breathing.
  • Dehydration, or the loss of weight due to feeding problems.
  • Seizures.
  • The brain damage.

Babies and young children are at greater risk of other health conditions due to pertussis. Thus, it is more likely that are needed for the treatment of these in a hospital. Health conditions due to whooping cough can be deadly for babies under 6 months of age.

Prevention

The best way to prevent pertussis is vaccination against whooping cough. It is often given together with the vaccination against two other serious diseases: diphtheria and tetanus. Health care professionals recommend starting the vaccination during childhood.

The vaccine is a series of five shots. You can listen to is called the DTaP vaccine. It is more often given to children of these ages:

  • 2 months.
  • 4 months.
  • Of 6 months.
  • 15 to 18 months.
  • 4 to 6 years.

Side effects of the vaccine

Most of the times, the side effects of the vaccine are mild. They may include fever, irritability, headache, fatigue, or pain at the injection site.

Booster shots

Booster vaccines strengthen the body's defenses against whooping cough. Help protect against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. You can listen to your health professional, call your Tdap booster shot. It is recommended for the following people.

  • The Pre-teens. The protection of the vaccine against whooping cough tends to disappear by the age of 11 years. Thus, health professionals, recommend a shot of Tdap at age 11 or 12 years of age.
  • Pregnant women. The health experts recommend getting a Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. This can also give some protection to an infant during the first months of life.
  • To the adults. Sometimes, the Tdap vaccine is given in place of a booster vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria. The tetanus and diphtheria booster vaccine is recommended for adults every 10 years. If it is for that shot and who have never received the Tdap vaccine before, your health care professional asly will give the Tdap vaccine in place. That is because the Tdap vaccine protects against the three diseases. In general, adults who had not received the Tdap booster you can get one at any time. It is key to ensure you are up to date on their vaccines at least two weeks before you get close to a baby. The vaccine reduces the risk of transmission of pertussis to infants.

Preventive medications

If you or your child has been exposed to someone with whooping cough, talk to your health professional. Medicines called antibiotics maand it is recommended to protect against infection if:

  • It is a health care professional.
  • You are pregnant.
  • Are under 12 months of age.
  • You have a health condition that could put you at risk of serious illness or complications. This includes such conditions as weakened immune system or asthma.
  • Living with someone who has pertussis.
  • Living with someone who is at high risk of severe illness or complications from whooping cough infection. This includes babies and pregnant women.

Whooping cough

Diagnosis

It may take time to find out if you have whooping cough. The symptoms may resemble those of other common diseases, such as the common cold or flu.

Sometimes, the health care professional can determine that you have whooping cough, asking about the symptoms and do a physical exam.

But you may need medical tests, such as:

  • A nose or the throat of the culture and of the test. Your health care professional takes a mucus sample from the back of the throat, where the nose and throat meet. The sample is marked by the signs of whooping cough bacteria.
  • Blood tests. A blood sample can be taken and sent to a laboratory. The lab checks for certain proteins called antibodies that the body produces to fight infections. This is a general test and not specific for whooping cough.
  • A chest x-ray. This test can be recommended to verify if there are signs of pneumonia due to pertussis.

Treatment

Most often, babies need treatment in the hospital for whooping cough. This is due to the fact that the disease is most dangerous for babies. If your child can't keep down liquids or food, fluids given through a vein may be needed. Your child is cared for away from the others. This prevents the infection from spreading.

The treatment for older children and adults often can be given at home, since the disease tends to be mild.

Drugs

The antibiotics kill the bacteria that causes whooping cough. When taken ahead of time, you can make the illness less severe. You can also reduce the amount of time that you are in risk of spread of the disease. If you live with other people, you may be given antibiotics to help prevent you from getting sick.

Not much is available to relieve the cough itself. Cough medicines that are sold without medical prescription, for example, does not help to treat whooping cough. Don't take them unless your healthcare professional tells you to.

Self-care

The following tips can help you to deal with the attacks of coughing while recovering from whooping cough at home:

  • Get enough rest. A cool, quiet and dark bedroom can help you to relax and rest better.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. Water, juices and soups are good choices. Be aware of the symptoms of dehydration, especially if your child is sick. Symptoms include dryness of the lips, crying without tears, and urinating less often.
  • Eat smaller meals. To help prevent vomiting after coughing, eating smaller and more frequent meals instead of large ones.
  • To clean the air. Keep your home free of irritants that can trigger an attack of coughing. These include dust, tobacco smoke, and the smoke from the chimneys.
  • Prevent the spread of whooping cough. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or the inside of your elbow. Throw away used tissues immediately. Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds. If you must be around others, wear a mask.

Stay home from work or school until you have completed at least five days of treatment. If a child is sick, keep the child to the nursery until the end of the five days of treatment. If you do not receive treatment, it is safer to stay away from others for three weeks after your symptoms start. Your body gets rid of the bacteria by then, although you may still have symptoms.

Preparing for your appointment

If you believe that you or your child has whooping cough, make an appointment with a health care professional. Obtain emergency care for serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing.

What you can do

Write a list that includes:

  • Its symptoms, which are described in detail.
  • Information about the medical problems of the past.
  • The dates of the vaccines.
  • The information about the medical condition of the parents or siblings.
  • The questions you want to ask your healthcare professional.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care professional gives you a physical exam and listen to your lungs. Ask your health care professional can do include:

  • When did the cough start?
  • How long does an attack of cough tend to last?
  • Does anything trigger the cough?
  • Does the cough never cause nausea or vomiting?
  • Has the cough caused his face to change color?
  • Has been exposed to someone with whooping cough?
Symptoms and treatment of Whooping cough