Pertussis, AKA Whooping Cough: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It is most common in infants but adults and adolescents are able to contract the illness as well. There is however, a vaccine for pertussis.

Signs and Symptoms

There are three stages of pertussis. The first stage is called the catarrhal stage that mostly resembles a mild cold. During this stage the symptoms are runny nose, cough and sneezing. This first stage lasts about one or two weeks. The second stage is the paroxysmal stage. During this stage the coughing begins to produce a whooping sound from which the term whooping cough is derived. The coughing can result in vomiting. The third stage is the convalescent stage which merely refers to a diminishing of symptoms. Other symptoms of pertussis are slight fever and diarrhea.

Many complications can rise from whooping cough. Pertussis can cause pneumonia, convulsions, permanent seizure disorder, nose bleeds, ear infections, brain damage from lack of oxygen, cerebral hemorrhage or bleeding in the brain, mental retardation, apnea or slowed or stopped breathing and death. These complications are not necessarily typical and do not happen in the majority of cases. Death, as well as other complications, is a higher risk for infants then anyone else.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Initial diagnosis is usually made solely based on the symptoms. At times the symptoms are not obvious enough. There is also the possibility of pneumonia being misdiagnosed as pertussis. There is a test that can be performed on the nasal mucus of the individual that will tell for sure whether the pertussis bacterium is present or not. It takes time for the doctor or health care provider to receive the results of the test and for this reason treatment is usually started before the test results are confirmed.