Whooping cough or Pertussis is a condition which is characterized by uncontrollable and violent coughing. This is a contagious condition which is brought about due to bacterial infection. Sometimes, the patient may cough so hard that even the process of breathing might turn out to be difficult. Whooping cough can affect people of all ages ranging from infants to elderly people. Nowadays, preventive shots are given to infants in order to curb the development of the disease, thus making the disease more common in people above the age of 11. The intensity of the symptoms of whooping cough will vary from one person to another. In case you exhibit any prominent disease symptoms, then you should immediately seek medical help, so as to prevent the condition from becoming worse.
Read on to know more about the important facts regarding the condition of whooping cough.
Causes of whooping cough
There condition of whooping cough results due to the infection of the upper respiratory tract by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis.This leads to irritation of the throat, thereby leading to incessant coughing.
When a person infected with the disease coughs or sneezes, he will disperse tiny fluid droplets containing the bacteria into the air. A person who inhales this air will immediately succumb to bacterial infection. The droplets can also be deposited on the inner membrane of the mouth, eyes and nose of people who stand nearby. The infection can also be contracted by coming into contact with the affected person’s respiratory secretions like mucus, and also by touching infected surfaces.
The symptoms of whooping cough
The symptoms of whooping cough usually last for about 6 to 8 weeks. In young children the symptoms can be basically classified into 3 stages namely stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 . However it is not necessary that adults and older children follow the same pattern of symptoms.
In first stage, the symptoms resemble that of common cold. The affected person will have a mild cough and fever, runny nose and watery eyes. This stage lasts for up to 2 weeks and it is when there is a high chance of the spread of infections.
The second stage may last for 4 week or longer and the it is when the symptoms turn worse. In the second stage, the symptoms of cold will get better, but the cough will get worse. The cough may turn from a mild one to a severe and uncontrollable one.The coughing may also interfere with your normal breathing process and whenever you take a breath, a long whooping noise will be produced.The coughing can also be accompanied by severe vomiting. and the affected person will always be extremely fatigued.
In the third stage, the symptoms will reduce in intensity and the person will show signs of recovery. The coughing may occur on and off, for several weeks. However, if you have any illness like a cold, then the coughing can flare up. The duration of this stage is seen to be longer in those who have never had any previous vaccinations against the disease.
The diagnosis of the condition
The initial diagnosis of whooping cough will be based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient. Following this, the doctor will conduct a physical examination of the patient and will also refer to his or her medical history, to know whether any vaccinations were taken against the disease.
To confirm the condition of whooping cough, the doctor will also perform certain clinical tests. A sample of the mucus from the throat or mouth of the infected person will be then sent for testing the presence of the infection causing bacteria.
Treatment and prevention
Once the condition of whooping cough is confirmed, then you should immediately start treatment, in order to prevent the condition from flaring up.
Over the counter treatments for cough are usually not effective in treating the condition of whooping cough. To get relief from the symptoms you can have lots of warm fluids and can also make use of humidifiers. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics so as to keep the symptoms of the disease under control. By doing so, the chance of spread of infections is also reduced to a great extent. In case the patient is an infant, then he will be admitted to the hospital so as to monitor the condition closely.
Since prevention is better than cure, necessary steps are to be taken in order to avoid contracting the infection. A series of immunization vaccines should be given to children , starting from the age of 2 months. This will protect the infant against the disease and will also reduce the severity of the disease, if it occurs anytime in the distant future. Children above the age of 11 and adults need only take a booster shot as a preventive measure.
Apart from having vaccinations, one should also practice high standards of hygiene and should also also avoid contact with infected people, in order to prevent the occurrence of the disease.
