What is Pertussis? 🤧🦠
Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It causes severe coughing fits that can make breathing difficult, especially in infants and young children.
How is Pertussis Transmitted?
- Spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes 🤧💨
- Very contagious, especially in the early stages before coughing fits develop
Symptoms
- Starts like a common cold: runny nose, mild cough, and low-grade fever 🤒
- After 1-2 weeks, severe coughing fits develop with a “whooping” sound when gasping for air 😤
- Vomiting and exhaustion may follow coughing spells
- Infants may have apnea (pause in breathing) instead of cough
- Can lead to complications like pneumonia, seizures, and in severe cases, death
Diagnosis
- Nasal or throat swab to detect Bordetella pertussis bacteria
- Blood tests or chest X-rays in complicated cases
Treatment
- Antibiotics (e.g., azithromycin) to reduce severity and prevent spread
- Supportive care to manage symptoms, such as fluids and oxygen if needed
- Hospitalization in severe cases, especially for infants
Prevention 🛡️
- Vaccination with the DTaP vaccine for children and Tdap booster for adolescents and adults 💉
- Good respiratory hygiene and isolation of infected individuals during contagious periods
- Early treatment to reduce transmission