late stage symptoms of whooping cough

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on February 10, 2025
00:00
00:00

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. After infection, paroxysmal coughing occurs, and in later stages, the frequency of coughing episodes decreases and the duration of symptoms shortens. The main treatment should involve the use of macrolide antibiotics to eliminate the pathogen. Additionally, it is advisable to drink plenty of water, rest adequately, measure body temperature twice daily, and avoid excessive fatigue. As long as function and symptoms gradually ease, it indicates the recovery phase is beginning, generally requiring about fifteen to twenty days for complete recovery.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
52sec home-news-image

How to determine whether it is the paroxysmal stage or the recovery stage of pertussis?

After the incubation period, typical whooping cough goes through three clinical stages. The first stage is the catarrhal stage, also called the pre-paroxysmal stage, during which the infectivity is the strongest. If treated promptly during this stage, the progress of the disease can be controlled. If the catarrhal stage is not effectively controlled, it then enters the paroxysmal stage. During the paroxysmal stage, the patient will experience episodic spasmodic coughing, with more severe episodes at night. During spasms, there will be neck vein distension, swollen and congested eyelids and face, and cyanosis of the lips. This stage can last up to two months. After the paroxysmal stage follows the convalescent stage, where the episodic spasmodic coughing gradually decreases and becomes less severe.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
44sec home-news-image

late stage symptoms of whooping cough

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. After infection, paroxysmal coughing occurs, and in later stages, the frequency of coughing episodes decreases and the duration of symptoms shortens. The main treatment should involve the use of macrolide antibiotics to eliminate the pathogen. Additionally, it is advisable to drink plenty of water, rest adequately, measure body temperature twice daily, and avoid excessive fatigue. As long as function and symptoms gradually ease, it indicates the recovery phase is beginning, generally requiring about fifteen to twenty days for complete recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
28sec home-news-image

How long does it take to recover from pertussis syndrome?

This disease is called whooping cough mainly because the disease itself has a long course, which led to its name. If not treated in time, some patients may take two to three months to recover. If detected and treated early, generally complete recovery is possible within about 10-20 days. The main symptoms are paroxysmal, spasmodic coughing, some may also exhibit a barking cough, or a crowing inspiration sound, among other typical manifestations.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Ying
Neonatology
1min 18sec home-news-image

After receiving the DTP vaccine, can you still get whooping cough?

The DTP vaccine is a combination of pertussis bacteria, diphtheria toxoid, and tetanus toxoid, which can prevent whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus simultaneously. The target group for the DTP vaccine is children aged 3 months to 7 years. The DTP vaccine requires three consecutive shots. Only after the three consecutive injections will sufficient antibodies be produced. However, these antibodies can only be maintained for a certain period of time and do not provide lifelong immunity. Many parents mistakenly think that once their child is vaccinated, they are invulnerable to all diseases, but this is an unscientific notion. The efficacy of vaccines is not 100%. The common basic vaccines currently used generally have an efficacy rate of over 80%, meaning that after vaccination, 80% of people will produce antibodies. However, since the antibody concentration of some vaccines can decrease significantly over time to a level that does not reach the immunity concentration, booster shots are necessary.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
1min 5sec home-news-image

The difference between pertussis and allergic cough

Pertussis (whooping cough) and allergic cough are different. Firstly, pertussis is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. Its symptoms include paroxysmal and frequent coughing, sometimes accompanied by a deep, crowing, inspiratory whoop sound. If not treated promptly, the condition can last for several months, which is why it is called whooping cough. Due to its high contagiosity and epidemic history, if infants contract pertussis, their condition can worsen, making them prone to complications like severe pneumonia or heart failure. However, allergic cough is a non-infectious condition primarily caused by hypersensitivity of the airways, easily triggered by various external allergens, leading to irritating dry coughs, but not worsening to lower respiratory tract infections. In daily life, by avoiding environmental allergens and using treatments such as nebulization and oral antiallergic medications, management is possible.