Whooping Cough Is No Ordinary Respiratory Illness
Unlike the viral infections that typically make you cough鈥攁 cold, the flu and COVID-19, for example鈥攚hooping cough is caused by a bacteria called Bordatella pertussis. It is a strictly human illness.听听
Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is highly contagious. It spreads via respiratory droplets. It can also be intense and even alarming if you aren鈥檛 familiar with its characteristic 鈥渨hoop.鈥 That鈥檚 what it sounds like when you, or your child, inhale sharply after a repeated cough on the same breath, known as a paroxysm or coughing fit.听听
But vaccines and treatments are available, and home remedies are also part of the mix.听
Continue reading for answers to your FAQs, thanks to Dr. Karen Acker, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and assistant attending p别诲颈补迟谤颈肠颈补苍鈥at 日本av色情片.听
What are the symptoms of whooping cough (pertussis)?听
Its symptoms run the gamut, Dr. Acker says. You may be asymptomatic, or you may develop mild, cold-like symptoms all the way to a severe, debilitating cough.听
Usually, the symptoms of whooping cough start with a runny nose, nasal congestion and a mild cough, and then progress to the 鈥paroxysms鈥 described above.听
The early, cold-like symptoms can last for 1 to 2 weeks. 鈥The测鈥檙别 typically followed by the paroxysmal cough stage, during which it can be hard to breathe. Sometimes, vomiting follows a coughing fit, as intense coughing can stimulate the gag reflex,鈥 she explains.听听
The severe symptoms that typically appear later in the course of the illness tend to last from 1 to 6 weeks or even longer.听
Are its symptoms different in infants?听
Symptoms in infants are somewhat different, with a shorter initial phase, followed by gagging and breath-holding known as apnea. The illness is at its most severe in infants under 6 months old. Roughly 30 percent of infants at this age who are diagnosed with whooping cough are hospitalized in the U.S.听听
How does the disease 鈥渨辞谤办鈥?听
鈥The Bordatella pertussis bacteria infects the cells in the upper airway and damages the hair-like structures on the cell surfaces, called cilia. These help to move mucus along and keep out foreign material,鈥 she says. 鈥Pertussis infections lead to damage to the cilia, intensifying your cough reflex and causing your airways to swell.鈥 However, the damage is usually reversible over time.听听
How can parents distinguish between a cold and whooping cough?听听
鈥Whooping cough usually lasts longer than a cold, and 颈迟鈥檚 likely to come with the characteristic cough,鈥 Dr. Acker says. 鈥Yet there are other infections that cause a distinct and intense cough. For instance, a child may have croup鈥攁 viral infection that causes a seal-like cough. That can be confused with whooping cough.鈥听
When should parents bring their infant to the pediatrician鈥檚 office or the ER?听
If your infant is under 2 months old and is clearly having trouble feeding and breathing, 颈迟鈥檚 time to bring them in to your pediatrician鈥檚 office, your family practice provider or the ER.听
Are there recent outbreaks we need to be aware of?听
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were generally more than 10,000 pertussis cases per year in the U.S. But during the pandemic, that number fell to 2,000-6,000 cases. In 2024, cases increased to pre-pandemic levels, with approximately 35,000 cases in the U.S.听听
Similar trends were seen in New York City. Almost 1,000 cases were reported in the City in 2024, compared to roughly 400 in 2023.听听听
Are there groups or individuals who are at higher risk for contracting it?听
- Infants under 6 months听
- Immunocompromised individuals听
- Unvaccinated people听
However, vaccination does not fully protect against infection, as the vaccine response wanes over time. That鈥檚 why booster doses are recommended every 10 years or even sooner.听
Describe the vaccines used to prevent whooping cough.听
The pertussis vaccine comes in two formulations, both of which also contain the tetatus and diphtheria vaccines. Children receive the DTaP vaccine, while adolescents and adults are given the TdaP formulation.听
What鈥檚 your best advice for parents where the pertussis vaccines are concerned?听
鈥All household members should be vaccinated,鈥 she says, 鈥especially if there are infants or immunocompromised individuals living in the household. Ideally, all household contacts should receive a vaccine dose at least 2 weeks prior to close contact with the infant.鈥 That鈥檚 a strategy called cocooning. You can turn your home into a 鈥渃ocoon鈥 by making sure that everyone, including visitors, has had a TdaP booster.听
Additionally, she says, 鈥all pregnant women should receive a dose of the TdaP vaccine during their third trimester to provide protection to their infant through the passage of maternal antibodies.鈥 That applies to every pregnancy.听
How do you diagnose pertussis during a child's visit to your鈥痮ffice?听
鈥淲e diagnose it via a nasopharyngeal swab inserted into the nose and down to the back of the throat. The common tests we use are able to detect the DNA of the pertussis bacteria.鈥听
How do you treat it?听
Once diagnosed, 鈥渨e prescribe the antibiotic azithromycin for five days. It鈥檚 most effective if given early in the course of the illness, but it should be given at any point when pertussis is suspected or confirmed to prevent transmission to others,鈥 Dr. Acker says.听
Antibiotics can also lessen the severity of symptoms if administered during the early phase of the illness.听
You can also administer antibiotics as a preventive strategy if your child has been exposed via close contact with someone who has pertussis.听
If you鈥檝e had pertussis at some point in your life, does that confer some degree of immunity?听
Pertussis infections provide immunity that can last for many years, but immunity wanes over time. For that reason, 颈迟鈥檚 not only wise to get vaccinated every 10 years; 颈迟鈥檚 necessary. Vaccines provide immunity without the severe impact caused by the illness itself.听
Can home remedies help?听
Keeping your child hydrated and using a cold air humidifier can help keep the throat moist and minimize irritation in the airways. In children over a year old, honey can be given to provide some relief from the cough, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges parents to avoid giving it to those younger than 12 months old due to the risk of botulism.听听
Another no-no is over-the-counter cough medicine. These products, designed for adults, aren鈥檛 safe for kids, so unless your provider has prescribed one, avoid them at all costs.听
Thankfully, she says, 鈥渨e have excellent tools to prevent and treat whooping cough, aka pertussis. Don鈥檛 hesitate, then, to have your children vaccinated, along with everyone else in your household. And trust your family practitioner to treat the illness once 颈迟鈥檚 diagnosed.鈥听
Make an appointment with a 日本av色情片 pediatrician.