Is that Cough Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough has been around for decades. Before the vaccine was available 5,000 to 10,000 people lost their lives every year due to this disease. Pertussis is the medical name of this disease and is a result of an infection of the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis in a human's lungs. Since the introduction of the vaccine the annual number of deaths from Whooping cough is down to only 30. The disease is on the rise with more than 25,000 cases reported in 2004. With the rise of cases, it is important to know the facts that concern this rapidly spreading disease.

The most important symptom of whooping cough is the coughing spells. You may feel like your child is coughing non stop, and not able to get ahead of the cough. Many times the child may turn light purple to blue from the lack of oxygen its body receives during a coughing spell. The disease generally starts out with symptoms of the common cold: runny nose, cough, and fever. As the disease progresses, each symptom may become worse, with the coughing spells lasting longer and becoming much more intense. The child may become very lethargic and uninterested in normal activity. One original characteristic to this disease is the whooping sound made at the end of the coughing spell. As the child is recovering from the coughing, as they inhale, there is often a whooping sound made from their body. Not all cases have a whooping sound present, but many do. If you ever hear the whooping sound, be sure to have your child examined by a doctor.

Pertussis or Whooping cough is highly contagious. The bacteria are present in all saliva and mucous from an infected person. This means that in every cough, sneeze and even talking, the bacteria is released into the air. If another human inhales the bacteria, they will become infected and show signs of the disease in 1-2 weeks. The duration of the disease is quite long, as the beginning stages seem to appear as a mild cold. The disease is very contagious during this stage as the infected person usually feels well enough to resume normal activity. After the intense cough develops and the diagnosis is confirmed, antibiotics are started and within 5 days of treatment, the contagiousness is gone.

This disease has quite a long duration. The first stage is the silent stage, with mild symptoms. Following the beginning stage comes the most intense stage where the coughing becomes very intense and the disease is usually diagnosed. The next stage is the healing stage where antibiotics work on the bacteria and rid your body of it. Once the bacteria are killed, you are no longer contagious, but you may still have all the classic symptoms of Whooping cough. The last stage is the recovery stage and may last up to 4 months. While the bacteria have been cleared from the lungs, the body must still repair the damage that is caused. This means the lungs may stay irritated and you may still have a cough. The coughing should lessen as time goes by and eventually be completely gone. In children the cough usually lasts the longest.

There are many complications of Whooping Cough including: pneumonia, dehydration, ear infections and other results of the infection spreading. If your child has a severe case, their lungs may become very heavy with mucous and require suctioning. IV fluids, antibiotics and oxygen may also be needed to help the infected person's body recover and fight the disease.

Whooping cough is diagnosed through blood tests, x-rays, and lab tests of mucous found in the nasal canal. If you or anyone you know has a severe cough that is followed by a whooping sound or a cough that is so intense you turn purple or vomit, be sure to be examined by a physician immediately. Quick treatment is necessary to further spread the disease to others. Often a quarantine and treatment is issued for anyone who has come in contact with the infected person. While this disease is not fun, it is treatable and most people make a full recovery within a month.