Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Pertussis is a contagion characterized with acute affections of respiratory tract with episodes of spasmodic cough. The source of infection is diseased person who is bacteria carrier. Especially virulent are diseased people at first stage of the disease (catarrhal stage of the disease).
Infection is spread by airborne transmission. More frequently disease affects children of preschool age, especially in autumn and winter.

Incubation period lasts from 2 to 14 days (usually 4 – 7 days). Ctarrhal stage is characterized with common disorder, cough, sneeze, temperature. Gradually cough aggravates, children become irritable and capricious. At the end of second week of disease starts stage of spasmodic cough. Spell is followed  with series of coughing strokes, then occurs sibilant inhale, alternating with a number of short spasmodic strokes. The number of such cycles may vary from 2 to 15. The spell ends up with release of semifluid glassen spit, sometimes may vomit occur. During spell child is excited, veins are enlarged, tongue is lolled out, frenulum of tongue frequently gets traumatized, respiratory standstill occurs.

In adults the disease courses without spasmodic cough strokes. Pertussis shows with long bronchitis with cough. Temperature of body is normal. Common well-being is satisfactory.

Recognition
The disease may be recognized after clinical and laboratory tests. Major method is detection of agent. At first week of disease positive results are found in 95% diseased, and at forth week just in 50%.

Treatment
Patients younger than one year and also those with complications, with severe forms of pertussis should be hospitalized. In other cases patients get treated at home. Antibiotics are used at early age in severe cases. It is recommended to use special gamma globulin injections 1ml daily during three days. In case of apneustic breath it is necessary to clear respiratory tract from mucus and to perform  factitius lung ventilation.

Also are recommended antihistamine medications, vitamins, oxygen therapy, aerosol inhalation of proteoclastic ferment that ease release of viscous sputum. Patients should spend more time outdoors.

Preventive Measures
For immunization is used exhausted pertussis diphtheria tetanus vaccine. Children of one year old are injected with immunoglobulin for prevention.