|
The Disease If
you've ever seen a child with pertussis you, won't forget it. The child
coughs violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from
her lungs and she is forced to inhale with the loud "whooping"
sound that gives the disease its nickname, Whooping Cough. Then the coughing
begins again. These severe coughing spells can go on for weeks. The child
might turn blue from lack of air, or vomit after a coughing spell. A child
with Whooping Cough can have difficulty eating, drinking, or even breathing. Pertussis
is a very contagious disease, and one that is fairly common in the United
States, even today. It is caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis
that live in the mouth, nose, and throat. Pertussis is spread by personal
contact, coughing and sneezing. It
usually takes a week to 10 days from the time a child is exposed until
symptoms appear. At first pertussis looks like a common cold, with sneezing,
runny nose, fever, and a mild cough. But after 1 or 2 weeks the severe
coughing spells begin. This stage of the disease usually lasts 1 to 6
weeks, but can last longer. After
the coughing stage has passed the child usually recovers gradually over
2 to 3 weeks. A child with pertussis can give the disease to another child
from about a week after exposure till about 3 weeks after the severe coughing
starts. Pertussis
is most severe in infants under 1 year old. More than half of these infants
who get the disease must be hospitalized. Older children and adults can
get pertussis too, but it is much less severe and might not even be recognized
as pertussis. Many infants who get pertussis catch it from their older
brothers and sisters or from their parents. Pertussis can cause serious complications. About 1 child in 10 with pertussis also gets pneumonia, and about 1 in every 50 will have convulsions. In 1 out of every 250 people who get pertussis, the brain is affected. This is called encephalopathy. Pertussis causes about 10-15 deaths a year in the United States. U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |