Pertussis is also known as whooping cough. It is a highly contagious disease marked by severe coughing. It is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is named after the "whoop" sound children and adults make when they try to breathe in during or after a severe coughing spell.

There are 3050 million pertussis cases and about 300,000 deaths per year (World Health Organization data). The disease is also dangerous in the elderly but tends to be less severe in older children and adults.

Causes

It is caused by germs (bacteria) that affect into the throat and lungs. Pertussis is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. The greatest risk of spread is during the early stage when it appears to be a cold. Those treated with antibiotics are contagious until the first 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment have been completed. If you are not protected against pertussis through vaccination, you can become ill with whooping cough.

Symptoms

At first, there may only be a runny nose, mild cough, and low-grade fever. But as the disease progresses, the nasal discharge becomes thicker and more profuse, leading to severe upper respiratory congestion in a young baby.

At the second stage, bursts of coughing, or numerous rapid coughs, apparently due to difficulty expelling thick mucus from the airways in the lungs. At the end of the bursts of rapid coughs, a long inspiratory effort (breathing in) is usually accompanied by a characteristic high-pitched whoop. Children and young infants appear especially ill and distressed. Vomiting and exhaustion commonly follow the episodes of coughing. Paroxysmal attacks occur more frequently at night, with an average of 15-24 attacks per 24 hours.

At the third stage, lasting for a few weeks or months, is a gradual recovery period. Coughing spells become less frequent but may flare up again if a cold or other upper respiratory illness develops. Complications, such as pneumonia or exertion-related injuries from coughing, such as a hernia, can develop from whooping cough. These types of health problems pose the most serious risk to children younger than 4 months and adults age 60 and older.

Treatment

Pertussis is usually treated with a multi-day course of appropriate antibiotics, such as azythromycin, erythromycin or clarithromycin, or an acceptable alternative. Unfortunately, most patients are only diagnosed after the period of time when antibiotics are most effective, and so generally they are not used. But even if antibiotics are started later, they're still important because they can stop the spread of the pertussis infection to others. Ask your child's doctor whether preventive antibiotics or vaccine boosters for other family members are needed.

All close contacts younger than seven years of age should complete their DTaP vaccine series if they have not already done so. If they have completed their primary four dose series, but have not had a dose within the last three years, they should be given a booster dose.