Whooping cough is a very common and very contagious disease. However, there are many ways of preventing and diagnosing whooping cough symptoms or pertussis symptoms, which can help prevent the spread of the condition. Read on to find out what you can do.
Ways for Preventing and Diagnosing Whooping Cough Symptoms or Pertussis Symptoms:
1. Vaccination, which is the way of preventing and diagnosing whooping cough or pertussis in the very young. In this country, the DTaP vaccine covers whooping cough and it lasts for around five years. The Td booster is available and can be given every 10 years. More commonly, the Tdap booster is given to specific populations.
2. Keeping distance, as you should not come in contact with anyone who has the condition.
3. Having the disease. As strange as that sounds, having whooping cough once means that you will be immune to it for four to 20 years afterwards. However, this protection is not lifelong. Complications are most common in babies under the age of one, so it is particularly important for them not to come in contact with anyone with the disease.
4. Antibiotics, which are often given to those who have a family member with pertussis. This can help prevent the spread of the bacteria. This is often prescribed to those who have had contact with patients with whooping cough if they are at risk of developing serious illnesses, or those who have routine contact, such as carers, with patients.
5. Hygiene, which is vital in the prevention of all types of respiratory illnesses. The disease spreads through sneezes and coughs, leading to others inhaling the bacteria. If you practice good hygiene, the chance of spreading the disease is much smaller. Proper hygiene techniques include:
– Using a tissue (not the hands) to cover the nose and mouth with every cough or sneeze
– Properly disposing of the tissue after every cough or sneeze by placing it in the waste basket
– Cough or sneezing into the elbow or upper sleeve if no tissue is available, always avoiding the hands
– Making sure you regularly was your hands using soap and hot water, spending at least 20 seconds on washing, paying particular attention to the areas between the fingers.
– Using alcohol hand sanitizer if no water and soap is available. This is particularly important if you have accidentally sneezed or coughed in your hand.
Diagnosing Whooping Cough or Pertussis:
There are several things that can help physicians diagnose whooping cough. Firstly, they will try to determine whether you have been in contact with anyone who has the condition. Additionally, they will:
– Discuss the history of signs and symptoms that you have experienced.
– Perform a physical examination
– Take samples of your mucus using either a saline filled syringe or a swab, placing this at the back of your throat through your nasal cavities, and inspecting the swab in a laboratory
– Perform a blood test
Generally speaking, pertussis is a self-limiting disease that has little to no complications. However, certain population groups (the very young, very old, and the infirm), are at risk of serious complications, so it is vital to prevent the spread of the disease.
