Definition

     Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe.  A deep "whooping" sound is often heard when the patient tries to take a breath. It occurs primarily in infants and in children less than 4 years of age who have not been immunized.

Cause

• The cause is a bacterium called Bordetella Pertussis. The bacterium is spread between people by respiratory droplets, which are produced when infected people cough or sneeze.   It can also be spread via contact with infected body fluids such as nasal secretions.

Symptoms

• Whooping coughs are suspected in young patients with a cough lasting more than 2 weeks.

Screening and Diagnostics

• A Diagnosis is made by growing the bacterium in samples of fluid taken from the nose and throat of the patient.

• Other lab tests may show high white blood cell counts

Treatment

     Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics, primarily to help reduce the spread of infection. Erythromycin, 500 mg taken four times a day, helps decrease the length of infection and also may help decrease the severity of the coughing.

Prevention

• Immunization with the pertussis vaccine is recommended for all infants.

• This vaccine is usually administered as a DTP (diphtheria, Tetanus, and pertussis) combined vaccine.

• Infants and adults who have been exposed to others with the infection should take prophylactic antibiotics to prevent the development of infection.

• Neither previous infection nor vaccination gives life-long immunity.

• However, booster doses of the vaccine are not recommended after the age of 6, unless there is an outbreak of the infection.

Complications

• Pneumonia

• Convulsions

• Seizure disorder (permanent)

• Nose bleeds

• Ear infections

• Brain damage from lack of oxygen

• Bleeding in the brain (cerebral hemorrhage)

• Mental retardation

• Slowed or stopped breathing (apnea)

• Death