Pertussis or whooping cough is caused by a bacterial infection that affects the airways and the lungs and is highly contagious. The signs and symptoms of whooping cough or pertussis mainly include repeated bouts of coughing, which usually lasts for about three months. In babies and children, the disease can make them very ill. Each droplet of sputum that is expelled in a cough or sneeze will contain the pertussis bacteria, which is why it is so contagious.
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Whooping Cough or Pertussis:
When the patients first develop whooping cough, they will usually experience the symptoms of a regular cold. These include a slightly raised body temperature, a sore throat, watery and red eyes, and a runny nose. Around one week after this, the intense bouts of coughing usually start. They are characterized by:
– Coughs that often last several minutes each time, most commonly during the night
– A thick mucus being brought up by the cough, sometimes even leading to vomiting
– Gasps for breath between the coughs, particularly in children. When they gasp for breath, some make a “whoop” sound, which is what the condition gets its name from, but not everybody will whoop
– The face turning red due to the physical strain of coughing. It is common to see some bleeding in the eyes or under the skin as a result.
– Cyanosis (where the skin turns blue) in young children, particularly if they struggle to catch their breath. Usually, their breathing will start again very quickly, and it tends to look worse than what it actually is.
– A barely noticeable cough in young babies, but they may completely stop breathing for brief periods of time.
Over time, the bouts of cough will become less frequent and less severe. However, it can take several months for the cough to go away completely. Overall, however, it is a self-resolving illness.
Who Are Most at Risk of Developing Whooping Cough?
The signs of whooping cough or pertussis can become apparent in people of any age. These include:
– Young children and babies. If the babies are less than six months old, they have an increased risk of developing complications as a result of pertussis.
– Older children and adults, although the condition is usually not serious in this population group. However, it can be very frustrating and unpleasant.
– People who developed whooping cough before, as you do not build up a permanent immunity to the condition. However, the second time tends to be less severe than the first time.
– People who had a vaccination against whooping cough when they were children, as the vaccine does not last a lifetime
If you come into close contact with someone who has whooping cough, you can easily get the disease. In turn, people become infectious around six days after they were infected, which is the time period when they will have the symptoms of a common cold. Once the coughing bouts start, they will continue to be contagious for 21 days. Sometimes, antibiotic treatment is provided to reduce how long they are contagious. This may be offered, for instance, if they have a young baby who has not yet been vaccinated.
