Whooping cough occurs in the lungs and airways. It is highly contagious and is a bacterial infection. Many people who are infected have a severe bout of coughing followed by sounds similar to choking. Before the pertussis vaccine was developed, the disease was considered a serious childhood infection. Now that the pertussis vaccine is available, the disease only occurs in children and adolescents who have not received their full dose of vaccines. It can also occur in adults with weakened immunity.
Whooping cough is spread by the cough or sneeze droplets of someone who has whooping cough. The most important symptom of whooping cough is a severe cough and shortness of breath. Thanks to early diagnosis, it can be treated with antibiotics. In cases where the disease progresses, antibiotics do not work, in which case only the symptoms are controlled and supportive treatment is applied.
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough is an acute microbial disease of the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms of the disease occur as a result of the spread of the bacterium Bordetella pertussis in the body. If treatment is delayed, it causes permanent damage and disability in various organs of the body. It causes coughing fits lasting 2 to 3 months or more and is particularly severe in infants and young children. Up to 4 out of 100 infants who contract the disease die.
How is whooping cough transmitted?
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. The causative agent is a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny germ-laden droplets are sprayed into the air and when someone nearby inhales these droplets, they reach the airways and cause the disease. Close contact with the patient, such as talking or kissing at close range, can also cause transmission.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
- Coughing fits
Shortness of breath
Typical sound during breathing
Bruising of the lips and nail bed
Respiratory arrest
Redness on the face
Weakness and fatigue
Vomiting
Diarrhea
This infection has mild symptoms, especially in young people and adults and in those who have had the whooping cough vaccine. Complete recovery from whooping cough can be slow. Over time, the cough becomes milder and less frequent.
