Whooping Cough

Whooping Cough is a grave, contagious respiratory infection reasoned by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The disease begins like a cold and then the feature cough develops. This cough may last for months, even after antibiotic treatment is finished and the person is no longer communicable. The 'whoop' is owing to a deep breath at the end of a bout of coughing. Vomiting after coughing is general.

Whooping Cough is particularly dangerous for babies aged less than six months. They are affected more gravely by the disease than older children or adults and are more likely to develop complications. One in every 200 babies who contract whooping cough will die. Immunization is the best way to prevent whooping cough.

Symptoms

Whooping cough begins with symptoms similar to those of a cold. These can rapidly progress to include:

• Severe cough, which occurs in bouts of coughing
• Characteristic 'whooping' sound on inhalation
• Vomiting at the end of a bout of coughing
• Apnoea - the child stops breathing for periods of time and may go blue.

These symptoms may be associated with poor appetite, fatigue and dehydration. The person may appear normal between bouts of coughing. During the convalescent phase, the cough gradually decreases but can take weeks to disappear.

Diagnosis

Whooping cough should be diagnosed and treated immediately if there is a typical history of the disease. There are a number of tests, but they are not always reliable and may take weeks to become positive. Treatment should not be withheld while waiting for these results.

Treatment

In its early stages, the symptoms of whooping cough can be reduced by taking antibiotics. Treatment will reduce the risk of passing the infection to others, if it is given in the first 21 days of the illness. Members of the infected person's household are at increased risk of acquiring the disease and are usually prescribed a strong antibiotic such as erythromycin as a preventative measure, regardless of whether or not they are fully immunized.