What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is an infectious disease caused by bacteria and is highly contagious . The medical term for whooping cough is pertussis. The respiratory disease mainly affects infants and children, who are particularly at risk from infection. Nevertheless, whooping cough is no longer considered a "classic" childhood disease. Because the respiratory disease is now on the advance in adolescents and adults too, because many are not vaccinated. Whooping cough occurs year round. In Central Europe, however, it is particularly widespread in the cool season in autumn and winter.   smarttechnofy

The cause of whoop cough is the bacterium Bordetella pertussis . When viewed under a microscope, it look like a small stick. It multiplies in the mucous membranes of the human respiratory tract, releases toxins there and thus damages cells and tissues. The bacteria are transmitted from person to person via the droplet infection, i.e. when coughing, sneezing or speaking. The pathogens sit in the fine droplets that catapult the sick into the air. She then breathes in the other person with the air.

Typical of whooping cough are convulsive coughing attacks , which are very excruciating and can last for several weeks. The sick cough in fits and starts, violently and intermittently. After every cough attack, they breathe in again with a typical wheezing sound. Hence whooping cough got its name. smoothtechi

In Germany, the majority of children are vaccinated against whooping cough. As a result, the disease is now increasingly affecting adolescents and adults who are not adequately vaccinated. The whooping cough vaccination has also been recommended for them since 2009 - but many do not take advantage of the vaccination.

Whooping cough: symptoms that are typical 

Whooping cough manifests itself through a number of symptoms that are extremely uncomfortable and distressing for those affected. Whooping cough in children proceeds slightly differently than in adults, adolescents and infants.

Whooping cough in children / toddler 

Whooping cough in children usually manifests itself in three phases, each of which is associated with different symptoms. You can recognize whooping cough by the following symptoms:  mucommucation

• Cold phase (stage catarrhale): Around one to two weeks after being infected with the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, patients develop symptoms that are similar to those of a cold : The first signs of whooping cough are runny nose, slight cough, hoarseness, weakness, fatigue and sometimes a slight fever . It should be noted that people with whooping cough are highly contagious even at this stage. That means: Others can become infected with the pathogens.
• Seizure phase (covulsive stage): Patients experience repeated, convulsive coughing attacks that last for minutes and are particularly pronounced at night. But many patients also cough frequently during the day. Some have up to 50 coughing attacks within 24 hours. The excruciating coughing fits usually end with the panting of air. The larynx constricts and a high-pitched sound is produced. This sound is characteristic of whooping cough and is what gives the disease its name. Sick people often choke up tough mucus and vomit. In addition, there is loss of appetite and insomnia, and a fever rarely develops. This phase lasts around four to six weeks. Whooping cough can be particularly dangerous for infants and children because respiratory arrest can set in.
• Recovery phase (stage decrementi) : The coughing fits slowly subside , but they can keep coming back for months. This phase lasts six to ten weeks.

Whooping cough in the baby 

An infant with whooping cough often does not develop the typical symptoms that one would expect. For them, dangerous breathing pauses and respiratory arrests are in the foreground. Sometimes the skin turns blue due to the shortness of breath. You and your offspring must be taken to the hospital straight away. This is because young, non-vaccinated babies under six months of age, premature babies and the offspring of very young mothers have a high risk of severe whooping cough. The consequences can be pneumonia or otitis media . appleinfocom

Whooping cough in adults and adolescents 

Whooping cough in adults and adolescents often takes a slightly different course, which is rather untypical: They cough long and persistently, but less violently. The typical coughing fits do not occur. Therefore, whooping cough is often difficult to detect. Most adolescents and adults have a spasmodic cough; they suffer from shortness of breath after the coughing attacks and vomiting . If doctors do not recognize whooping cough, there is a great risk of infection for others from the sick.

Overall, the wheezing process is very tedious: It often takes three months to finally recover and you have to be patient.

Is Whooping Cough Contagious?

Whooping cough is extremely contagious! Almost all people who are not vaccinated and come into contact with a whooping cough patient become infected. About 100 germs are enough to get infected with whooping cough. Experts have calculated the following: out of 100 unvaccinated infected people, 80 to 90 people get sick. Presumably, the bacteria can even briefly colonize the nasopharynx of healthy, vaccinated people. Then they do not get sick themselves, but they can pass the pathogen on to others. Even healthy people can transmit the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Adolescents and adults in particular play an important role as carriers of the bacteria to infants.  computerlg

Whooping cough: this is how it is transmitted 

The whooping cough pathogens are found in saliva. The whooping cough bacteria are transmitted through droplet infection when coughing, sneezing, talking, kissing or through shared dishes. If there is close contact with a sick person less than a meter away, others can become infected. The person opposite breathes in the finest droplets with the whooping cough bacteria with the air.

Whooping cough: incubation period 

The incubation period - i.e. the time between infection and the appearance of the first symptoms - usually lasts nine to ten days. The incubation period for whooping cough can also be significantly longer: namely up to 20 days. Shortly before the first signs of the disease appear, those affected are contagious.

Whooping cough: how long has it been contagious?

Immediately after this incubation period, the risk of infecting others is highest - i.e. in the cold phase, before the coughing attacks set in. After the onset of coughing attacks, patients are infectious for up to three weeks. Infants often excrete the whooping cough pathogens for longer (up to six weeks), so they are contagious for even longer.

The duration of infection can be shortened if doctors use antibiotics in good time. Depending on the antibiotic used, a sick person is contagious for three to seven days after the start of therapy.

Whooping cough has to be reported since 2013. This means: Doctors, kindergartens, schools and other supporting institutions must report their suspicion of whooping cough to the health department. 

 

Treating whooping cough - these options are available 

Doctors treat whooping cough with antibiotics. These drugs work specifically only against bacteria, but not against viruses, fungi and other germs. Antibiotics kill the bacteria. However, you can only shorten the duration of the whooping cough and alleviate the coughing fits if doctors start whooping cough therapy as early as possible: Before the onset of the cough or in the first one to two weeks after the start of the cough. Antibiotics against whooping cough also ensure that the chain of infection is broken. Sick people do not infect many more people. Antibiotics for whooping cough only make sense if patients are still excreting bacteria. This can be determined, for example, by taking a smear from the nasopharynx. The following antibiotics are used in whooping cough treatment:

• Azithromycin, Clarithromycin: They belong to the group of macrolides and are the first choice in whooping cough treatment because they are better tolerated and easier to use. Roxithromycin is also an option for whooping cough.
• Erythromycin (macrolide) is an older active ingredient that is just as effective but has more severe side effects.
• Cotrimoxacol is an alternative to the macrolides.

Patients usually take the antibiotic for 14 days. Expectorant whooping cough drugs help against the very thick mucus . Infants should always be treated in a hospital. Only there is it possible to suck off the mucus, relieve shortness of breath and prevent impending respiratory arrest.

Whooping Cough Treatment: Home Remedies and Tips 

They can help a patient with whooping cough get through the long weeks of illness better. The following general tips will help:

• Sick people should drink as much as possible in order to moisten the mucous membranes and counteract dehydration. Herbal teas with thyme, liquorice root, primrose blossoms or fennel fruits, for example, are good.
• The food should be liquid and pulpy because it is easier to swallow.
• Several smaller meals that you spread out over the day are better than a few large ones. This will gives you a better grip on gagging and vomiting.
• During coughing attacks, your child should sit up straight with their head bent forward slightly. It is easier to cough in this position.
• Be careful not to let your child romp around as physical activity can trigger and worsen coughing fits. Better provide calm, less strenuous play opportunities.
• Take your offspring out into the fresh air a lot - it is good for the irritated airways.
• Make sure the bedroom has cool, moist air at night when the coughing attacks become more frequent. For example, hang up damp towels or sheets.
• A good whooping cough home remedy is inhalation with sea salt - this is how you moisten the airways.
• A warm chest wrap with lemon juice before bed is also a good home remedy for whooping cough. This at least alleviates the symptoms a little.

Homeopathy for whooping cough 

Many parents rely on the effects of homeopathy, especially with children. For whooping cough, for example, homeopaths use the following remedies to relieve symptoms:

• Belladonna (deadly nightshade)
• Drosera (sundew)
• Carbo vegetabilis (charcoal)
• Cuprum aceticum (copper acetate)
• Cuprum metallicum (metallic copper)

The remedies have a relaxing effect and should also be able to prevent convulsive coughing attacks. However, the effect of homeopathy on whooping cough has not been scientifically proven.

Important : A whooping cough patient should not come into contact with other children, babies or the elderly during the infection period.

Whooping cough: vaccination can prevent it 

There is a vaccination against whooping cough that provides effective protection against the outbreak of the infectious disease. The vaccine now only contains those components of whooping cough bacteria that are necessary for vaccination protection. The whooping cough vaccine is therefore much better tolerated than that from previous years. Since there is no single vaccine, doctors usually combine whooping cough vaccination with other vaccinations.

Whooping cough vaccination: how often ?

The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute gives the following recommendation:

• Whooping cough vaccination for babies : For babies, the STIKO recommends four vaccinations at the age of 2, 3, 4 and a booster between 11 and 14 months of age. Babies should be vaccinated as early as possible, as whooping cough can be life-threatening for the little ones. Doctors usually give a six-fold vaccine, which is also effective against tetanus, diphtheria, polio, Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib) and hepatitis B.
• Children and adolescents : One whooping cough vaccination for a refresher at the age of 5 to 6 years and 9 to 17 years.
• Adults : It is advisable to combine the next vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria with a whooping cough vaccination.
• Parents, siblings, grandparents, child minders and other close contacts of infants should get a one-off vaccination against whooping cough if there has been no whooping cough vaccination in the past ten years.
•  If possible, women of childbearing potential should get vaccinated before starting a pregnancy.
• Pregnancy : The whooping cough vaccination is usually carried out shortly after the child is born. The STIKO does not yet explicitly recommend whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy. However, studies have shown that vaccination in the last weeks of pregnancy also gives the baby good vaccination protection.
• People who work in health care (e.g. hospital, doctor's practice, care facility) and in community facilities (e.g. day care center, kindergarten, school): A vaccination if there has been no whooping cough vaccination in the last ten years.

Many people ask themselves the following question: Can you get whooping cough despite being vaccinated? The answer is “yes”. Because the vaccination protection lasts only about 3.5 to twelve years. Then a refresher must take place. Even after having overcome whooping cough, you are not immune to the pathogen for life. This protection lasts for 7 to 20 years. People of all ages can get whooping cough again after they have overcome their illness.