Pertussis, sometimes known as whooping cough, is a very contagious respiratory ailment. It is frequently distinguished by a harsh hacking cough followed by a high-pitched breath intake that resembles a “whoop.”
Before the creation of the vaccine, whooping cough was thought to be a disease of children. Whooping cough now mostly affects teenagers and adults whose immunity has worn out as well as young children who are too young to have received the full course of immunisations.
Although rare, whooping cough deaths usually involve young children. It is crucial that pregnant women and everyone who will come into touch with an infant receive the whooping cough vaccine.
Symptoms
The first signs and symptoms of whooping cough usually show seven to ten days after infection, however they can occasionally take longer. They typically start out mild and resemble an ordinary cold:
- Clogged nose
- Nasal clogging
- Red, tearing eyes
- Flu Cough
Signs and symptoms start to get worse after a week or two. Your airways become clogged with thick mucus, which results in excessive coughing. Strong and protracted coughing fits may:
- Induce vomiting
- Cause a face to turn red or blue
- Cause a lot of fatigue
- Finish with a high-pitched “whoop” sound on the subsequent air intake.
Many individuals, however, never acquire the distinctive whoop. Sometimes the sole indication that a child or adult has whooping cough is a persistent hacking cough.
Whenever to visit a doctor
If persistent coughing fits result in any of the following symptoms for you or your child:
- Vomit
- Turn blue or red
- Appear to be having difficulty breathing or exhibit observable breathing pauses
- Take a whooping breath in
Causes
Bordetella pertussis is a type of bacteria that causes whooping cough. Tiny germ-filled droplets are released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and anyone close can breathe them into their lungs.
Risk elements
Your childhood whooping cough vaccination eventually loses its effectiveness. As a result, the majority of adults and teenagers are vulnerable to the virus during an outbreak, which still happens frequently.
The risk of serious problems and death is higher among infants younger than 12 months who are unvaccinated or who haven’t received all of the necessary vaccinations.
Prevention
The pertussis vaccine, which doctors frequently administer along with shots against diphtheria and tetanus, is the most effective approach to prevent whooping cough. Doctors advise starting vaccinations in early childhood.
Five doses make up the vaccine, which is commonly administered to children between the ages of:
- 24 weeks
- One year
- Sixty days
- 15-20 months
- 4-6 years old
Side effects of vaccines
The vaccine’s side effects are often minor and can include a fever, irritability, headache, weariness, or discomfort where the injection was made.
Booster injections for teenagers. Doctors advise getting a booster shot for pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus at age 11 because immunity from the pertussis vaccine tends to fade by that time.
Adults. Some strains of the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine given every ten years also provide protection against whooping cough (pertussis). Additionally, this vaccination will lessen your chance of passing on whooping cough to young children.
Expecting mothers. The pertussis vaccine should now be administered to expectant mothers between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, according to health authorities. The infant may receive some protection from this in the early months of life.
Preventative drugs
Your doctor may suggest antibiotics to prevent infection if you’ve been exposed to someone who has whooping cough if you:
- A healthcare professional
- Are expecting
- are under the age of one year
- Have a medical condition that puts you at risk for complications or severe sickness, such as asthma or a compromised immune system
- Live with a whooping cough patient
- Live with a person who is highly susceptible to getting sick or having difficulties from whooping cough
