A contagious bacterial respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. It is characterized by severe and uncontrollable cough, resulting in a whooping sound during breathing following the cough
Symptoms of Pertussis
The following features are indicative of Pertussis:
runny nose
low-grade fever
mild occasional cough
apnea
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Common Causes of Pertussis
The following are the most common causes of Pertussis:
Bordetella pertussis
Risk Factors for Pertussis
The following factors may increase the likelihood of Pertussis:
young infants
Prevention of Pertussis
Yes, it may be possible to prevent Pertussis. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
get vaccinated against pertussis during infancy
Occurrence of Pertussis
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Pertussis cases seen each year worldwide:
Very common > 10 Million cases
Common Age Group
Pertussis most commonly occurs in the following age group:
Aged between 1-5 years
Common Gender
Pertussis can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Pertussis
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Pertussis:
A nose or throat culture test: To check the evidence of the presence of whooping cough bacteria
Doctor for Diagnosis of Pertussis
Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Pertussis:
Infection disease specialist
Complications of Pertussis if untreated
Yes, Pertussis causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Pertussis is left untreated:
bacterial pneumonia
convulsions
loss of appetite
inflammation of the middle ear
dehydration
Procedures for Treatment of Pertussis
The following procedures are used to treat Pertussis:
Leukapheresis and exchange transfusion: To decrease the leukocyte mass that contains very high amount of leukocyte counts
Time for Treatment of Pertussis
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Pertussis to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
In 1 - 4 weeks
Is Pertussis Infectious?
Yes, Pertussis is known to be infectious. It can spread across people via the following means: