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Whooping cough
Is pertussis prone to recurrence?
Pertussis is a common respiratory infectious disease. If it is not fully treated and medication is stopped right after the symptoms are alleviated, it is likely to cause repeated relapses and persistent prolongation. Therefore, the treatment of this disease should follow the doctor's advice, choose an adequate amount of antibiotics, and adhere to the prescribed course of treatment. After one course of treatment, a re-examination should be conducted to confirm the absence of the pathogen in the body before discontinuing the medication. Medication should not be stopped merely based on symptom relief, as doing so can easily lead to repeated relapses and prolonged disease, affecting the child’s normal life and, in severe cases, possibly causing delayed growth and development.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
Pertussis, a disease caused by infection with the Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium diphtheriae, is a contagious respiratory illness. The typical symptom is severe coughing, which presents as paroxysmal, rapid coughing fits. This coughing can lead to redness in the face and ears, a runny nose, tears, and bulging neck veins. If these coughing symptoms are prolonged, it is advisable to visit a hospital to check the pathogen in the secretions. Once the pathogen is confirmed, treatment can include oral or intravenous macrolide antibiotics to control the infection, along with symptomatic treatment. (Note: The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)
Is the lymphocyte count high in whooping cough?
Pertussis, a disease caused by a bacterial infection, leads to an increase in lymphocytes beyond normal levels during the acute phase. If secondary infections occur, the relative lymphocyte count may decrease. The examination of these white blood cells is only an auxiliary test; culturing the pathogen or using fluorescent antibody staining are also viable methods that can definitively diagnose a pertussis infection. This condition can cause paroxysmal, spasm-like coughing, and some may exhibit a barking cough. Once diagnosed, medication should be selected according to the treatment course, with regular follow-ups.
Can adult whooping cough heal itself?
Adults with pertussis, a condition that can resolve on its own if the symptoms are mild and the body's immune function is normal. However, decisions should be based on individual constitution, and not all patients can self-heal, especially those who are frail or have endocrine diseases generally cannot recover on their own. It is necessary to timely choose macrolide antibiotics and combine them with symptomatic treatment to alleviate symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing, and fever. Regular exercise is needed to boost immunity.
Can a routine blood test detect whooping cough?
Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection, commonly seen in children. The main symptoms are paroxysmal spasmodic coughing and a crowing inspiratory whoop. The disease has a long course and may be complicated by pneumonia, neurological diseases, and others. The diagnosis of the disease mainly relies on the cultivation of Bordetella pertussis, detection of Bordetella pertussis DNA, and testing for pertussis toxin antibodies. In this disease, the routine blood test will also show a significant increase in the white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, and white blood cell differential.
The "hundred days" in whooping cough refers to what?
The whooping cough we refer to clinically is a type of respiratory infectious disease. The term "hundred days" relates to the duration of the disease, which is relatively long, sometimes approaching one hundred days, hence the name whooping cough. However, it does not necessarily mean that one will cough or be infected for such a long duration. The specific circumstances should be determined according to the number of infecting pathogens and the body's immune response. If the immune system is normal and the infection is minor, some patients can recover without medication. Once a severe infection is diagnosed, it is crucial to promptly use sensitive antibiotics and engage in timely anti-inflammatory and symptomatic treatment.
How is whooping cough treated?
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the infection of Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis. Clinically, it is characterized by episodes of sudden, rapid coughing, a bark-like cough, and an inspiratory "crowing" sound. It is also advisable to check the sputum culture to confirm the cause of the disease. In terms of treatment, in addition to symptomatic treatment, macrolide antibiotics should be selected and administered for at least about half a month. Options include intravenous drips of erythromycin injection or azithromycin injection.
Is the pertussis vaccine an inactivated vaccine?
The pertussis vaccine is not an inactivated vaccine but a live attenuated vaccine, which primarily stimulates the body to produce antibodies. Once antibodies are produced, it can effectively prevent the disease pertussis. The commonly used pertussis vaccine in clinical settings is the trivalent vaccine, also known as the DTP vaccine, which can prevent pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus—three infectious diseases caused by pathogens. It is essential to follow medical advice and complete the vaccination schedule as prescribed to achieve prevention. After vaccination, it is crucial to observe for any complications or adverse reactions.
What does whooping cough mean?
Whooping cough is the name of a disease. It is called whooping cough because the course of the disease is relatively long, and it could potentially last for nearly a hundred days. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that one will cough for a hundred days; it's just a general term indicating that the disease has a long duration and tends to recur easily. This disease is a respiratory infectious disease, transmitted and spread through airborne droplets in clinical settings, with the main pathogens being Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Bordetella pertussis, among others. Personal hygiene habits in daily life should be paid attention to, and once diagnosed, antibiotics should be selected in time for anti-inflammatory treatment.
Will there be shadows in the lungs after recovery from whooping cough?
Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection, commonly seen in children, with children under five years old being the most susceptible. The main clinical symptoms include paroxysmal spasmodic coughing and a crowing, inspiratory whoop, with the cough being more pronounced at night. The symptoms of whooping cough are severe, but the physical signs are mild. During lung auscultation, no dry or moist rales can generally be heard, and imaging examinations are also normal. However, whooping cough may be complicated by bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis, and other complications, in which case lung X-rays may show shadows, but these shadows will disappear after recovery from the treatment.