Pertussis

Whooping cough, sever cough.

An acute, highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, most frequently affecting young children, usually caused by Bordetella pertussis; a similar illness has been associated with infection by B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica. It is characterized by a catarrhal stage, beginning after an incubation period of about two weeks, with slight fever, sneezing, running at the nose, and a dry cough. In a week or two the paroxysmal stage begins, with the characteristic paroxysmal cough, consisting of a deep inspiration, followed by a series of quick, short coughs, continuing until the air is expelled from the lungs; the close of the paroxysm is marked by a long-drawn, shrill, whooping inspiration, due to spasmodic closure of the glottis. This stage lasts three to four weeks, after which the convalescent stage begins, in which paroxysms grow less frequent and less violent, and finally cease. Called also whooping cough.

A serious, highly contagious disease caused by bacteria spread in droplets from coughs and sneezes of people infected with it, which causes violent, uncontrollable spells of coughing (with a characteristic “whooping” sound) that can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing. Pertussis hits hardest at young children; one-half of the cases are in children under the age of one year, and two- thirds are in children under five. The disease can last for weeks, and perhaps 50 percent of the children need to be hospitalized. Common complications include pneumonia. Once a leading killer of young children, pertussis is now largely preventable through immunization, generally in a series of five injections of the combination DTP vaccine between ages two months and six years. As a result, a disease that once killed thousands of children every year now kills only a handful. Some controversy exists about the pertussis vaccine, but public health authorities recommend vaccination, feeling that it is far safer than the threat of disease.

Acute, contagious, respiratory disease, occurring most commonly in nonimmunized young children and characterized by attacks of coughing ending in inspiration with a loud whooping sound. It is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria; is transmitted directly (via contact with infectious particles spread by coughing or sneezing) or indirectly (through contaminated articles); has a 1- to 2-week incubation period; and typically lasts 6-8 weeks. The disease starts with sneezing, runny nose, dry cough, loss of appetite, and slight fever—the catarrhal stage. About 10 days later paroxysms of coughing with the characteristic whoop on inspiration begin, often accompanied by marked facial redness and signs of distress, the expulsion of large amounts of mucus, and frequently vomiting, after choking on mucus; this stage, the paroxysmal stage, lasts about 4-6 weeks. The convalescent stage, of about 2 weeks, is characterized by a persistent cough. Treatment includes rest, adequate fluid intake, oxygen, if necessary, and sometimes antibacterials to prevent secondary infection. One attack usually confers immunity. The disease can be prevented by pertussis vaccine, usually given along with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DPT) in a series of injections in early childhood. Cases are now appearing more frequently in recent years, after a period of time when vaccination had nearly completely eradicated the disease in the United States. Likely, this represents increasing numbers of children who have not been properly vaccinated, rather than the emergence of a new strain of bacteria causing the disease. Also called whooping cough.

Whooping cough, an infectious disease with characteristic “whoop” sound during coughing.

A highly communicable disease characterized by severe cough paroxysms that end in a sound like a whoop.

A serious bacterial infection of the lining of the breathing passages, particularly in the windpipe area. Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria and is extremely contagious. Symptoms of the infection include prolonged, violent coughing spasms followed by a long inhaling of breath with a characteristic high-pitched, crowing, or whooping sound. Pertussis can be fatal, but in the United States, widespread vaccination has made it rare.

An acute, contagious disease characterized by paroxysmal coughing, vomiting that follows the cough, and -whooping inspiration. The disease is caused by a small, nonmotile, gram-negative bacillus, Bordetella pertussis. The incubation period is 7 to 10 days. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin) are given to treat bacterial pneumonia and otitis media, especially in infants and young children, early in the course of the infection.

A highly infectious ailment, commonly known as whooping cough, predominantly targets infants and young kids, posing the highest risk to newborns. It is characterized by coughing spells, often succeeded by a “whoop” sound when the child inhales.

The primary culprit is the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria, transmitted through airborne droplets. In developed countries like the UK, the prevalence of pertussis has significantly decreased due to immunization.

Following an incubation period of roughly seven to ten days, the symptoms begin with a light cough, sneezing, runny nose, fever, and irritated eyes. The cough intensifies after a few days, often accompanied by a whooping sound. This cough can sometimes lead to vomiting. For infants, there’s a possibility of temporary apnoea (stopping of breathing) after a coughing fit. The condition can persist for several weeks to three months, but typically, the child remains contagious for about three weeks.