Whooping Cough

This disease condition is also familiar in its name pertussis. This is a condition featured with the inflammatory response of the respiratory tract. Particularly its lining gets affected.

The causative organism responsible for this disease is Bordetella pertussis. This highly infectious disease is spread from person to person via droplets through air as the infected individual coughs or sneezes. This condition gets the name from one of its prominent symptom which is severe cough that resembles a whoop.

This disease is mainly seen in infants and young children. Though rare, even adults may develop this condition. But in children this disease tends to be serious and may be fatal unless prompt medical intervention is sought.

In these days owing to the successful immunization programme, the rate of mortality and morbidity has been reduced to a considerable extend. The children are immunized at the age of 2nd 3rd and 4th months and even another dose may be given prior to joining the school.

<h2>Symptoms</h2>

The symptoms are quite evident after 7-10 days following the exposure to the Bordetella bacterium. The symptoms have been classified into stages that range between mild to moderate and severe.

Early symptoms

These may be similar to that of common cold and includes nasal blockage and running nose, repeated sneezing, watering eyes, dry cough often irritative, soreness of throat, elevated body temperature and general sense of sickness.

This stage lasts for a maximum of two weeks. Paroxysmal stage is the next one and is featured with intense cough that brings sputum or phlegm into the mouth, a sound resembling whoop is heard with the inhalation. Infants and small children may have vomiting. Fatigue facial reddening owing to the strain during cough.

This stage lasts for 2-3 weeks or even may extend upto 2-3 months.

<h2>Causes</h2>

Bordetella pertussis is the causative organism responsible for this condition. It inflames the walls of the windpipe. As the bacterium grows and multiplies within the windpipe, it results in production of thick mucus. The mucus actually irritates the airway and intense cough is resulted in an attempt by the body to expel it.

It also results in swelling of the airway and makes it narrower. This makes breathing problematic and results in the whooping sound. The disease is very much infectious in the initial days of the attack by Boretella Pertussis. The droplets from the infected person’s airway is spread across as he coughs or sneezes. These contain numerous bacteria that spreads to healthy individuals.
The infected person needs to be placed in isolation and young children should be restricted from being in contact with them.

<h2>Treatment</h2>

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat this condition. In case of children, they need to be isolated as the first step. Corticosteroids may be used along with antibiotics in case of breathing distress. Oxygen may be administered using a mask. The individual needs to take adequate rest and increase oral intake of fluids to avoid dehydration.