Pertussis
(Whooping Cough)
IDENTIFICATION AND DEFINITION
HISTORY OF PERTUSSIS
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PERTUSSIS
Symptoms during first 1 to 2 weeks:
- Runny nose
- Low-grade fever
- Mild,occasional cough
Symptoms for next 1-6 weeks:
- Fits of numerous, rapid coughs followed by "whoop" sound
- Vomiting after coughing fits
- Exhaustion after coughing fits
Symptoms for the next 2-3 weeks:
- Coughing lessens
- Recovery is gradual
SOURCE: http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/signs-symptoms.html
Photo #2121
Infant with pertussis
Child with pertussis
TRANSMISSION OF PERTUSSIS
COMPLICATIONS OF PERTUSSIS
BABIES AND CHILDREN
About half of the babies that are 1 year old or younger need to be hospitalized, also the younger the baby the more likely hospitalization will be needed.
Of those babies that are hospitalized with pertussis about:
- 1 in 4 get pneumonia
- 1 out of 100 will have convulsions
- 3 out of 5 will have apnea
- 1 out of 300 will have encephalopathy
- 1 out of 100 will die
TEENS AND ADULTS
Teens and adults can also get complications from pertussis, but they are usually less serious in this age group, especially among those who have been vaccinated with the pertussis vaccine. Complications are caused by the cough itself such as passing out or potentially breaking a rib during a coughing fit.
The most common complications among those who have pertussis are:
- 1 in 3 adults experience weight loss
- 1 in 3 adults have a loss of bladder control
- 3 out of 50 experience passing out
- 1 in 25 have rib fractures from severe coughing
SOURCE: http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/complications.html
RECOMMENDED CONTROL MEASURES FOR PERTUSSIS
Worldwide there are about 16 million pertussis cases and about 195,000 pertussis deaths in children per year. Pertussis is one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide. Most deaths occur in young babies who are either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Countries with low vaccination rates have the highest rates of pertussis among children.
SOURCE: http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/countries/index.html