Pertussis Or Whooping Cough

Treatment: The treatment of Whooping Cough is simple, however it is considered to take antibiotics if diagnosed in the early stages of the catarrhal (First) or early paroxysmal (Second) phase. During its early stages, Symptoms can be reduced by taking antibiotics prescribed by a doctor. For babies under 12months, they need to be treated in hospital and in some cases whooping cough can be treated at home but

Once vaccinated, the person is protected from whooping cough for roughly 10 years and needs to receive the Tdap booster vaccine again. (Tdap- Tetanus and Diphtheria). This is a negative aspect as one vaccination doesn't provide a lifelong solution to Pertussis.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a bacterium, Bordatella pertussis. In 2010 it affected 27, 5501 individuals and was responsible for 262 deaths in the United States. Bordatella pertussis colonizes in the cilia of the respiratory tract3 producing uncontrollable coughing with paroxysms (fits) followed with a high pitched intake of air creating a whoop sound, posttussive emesis (cough induced vomiting), and exhaustion.3 These symptoms can last up to 10 weeks.3 Adults can transfer Pertussis to infants who are not fully immunized, subsequently, they are at a greater risk and may have serious complications from Pertussis including pneumonia and death.4

For instance, pertussis, or commonly known as whooping cough, “Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection (cdc.gov).” This infection may resemble a common cold; however, it quickly turns into a more serious illness, causing babies or those with compromised immune systems to stop breathing and can become fatal. Babies cannot receive this vaccination until they are two months of age. Most babies who have whooping cough catch it from their caregivers or other family members. Whooping cough spreads easily from person to person, through coughing and sneezing, usually people who spread whooping cough are unaware that they even have it. The best way to prevent this is to receive the pertussis vaccination, DTaP in children and TDaP in adults. If you have received the vaccination in the past, it is always best to ask your health care provider if you are in need of a booster vaccination. Much like other vaccinations, the boosters are just as important as the initial vaccination. The immunity can wear off over time leaving one susceptible to the

Whooping cough, which is also known as, Pertussis, is caused by infection by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria. A highly contagious bacterial disease affects the respiratory system and produces spasms of coughing that usually end in a high-pitched whooping sound.

According to SC DHEC, Division of Acute Disease Epidemiology, 2011 shows in this chart the confirmed and probable Pertussis cases in SC, between 2004 and 2010. “Pertussis tends to become epidemic every 2-5 years; a trend unchanged from the years before vaccine introduction. Outbreaks occur throughout the year in the US (Cherry, 2010; CDC, 2010b). Pertussis vaccination has reduced the case incidence in peak years by more than 95%.”

As a health care professional different screening are to be mad e to improve pertussis vaccination. Once a patient is admitted screening and if probable vaccinate parents of infants and children, all emergency room visits, pregnant women at appropriate trimester. It was mentioned that establishing standing

The disease is named for the distinguishing sound produced when those who are affected attempt to breathe in. The whoop was created because of the inflammation of the laryngeal structures that vibrate when there’s a quick inflow of air. This illness is affecting many individuals and as the years continue to pass it’s only getting worse. The sad part is; it’s mostly present in infants. More are dying because of the whooping cough; they aren’t getting a chance to experience life. It’s extremely important for parents to make sure their children receive the vaccine before it’s too late. The future is unpredictable; this illness can end up causing a new virus next year, which is why every individual should receive the vaccine recommended. If a new strain of a virus

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an acute and highly contagious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis, a gram-negative

The clinical manifestations of the disease are usually caused by immune system reaction to the bacteria’s antigen and toxins. The infected individual is usually contagious early in the disease and not during protracted period of cough (Brunner & Suddarth 2010, p.2149). Incubation period: 5-10 days after being exposed and highly communicable during the first 2 weeks after cough onset (CDC, Pertussis, 2015). To further understand signs and symptoms of the progression of whooping cough it was divided intro three different stages:

Whooping cough is a respiratory illness caused by bordetella pertussis bacteria. This bacteria attaches itself to the tiny hairs that line the respiratory system. Once it has attached, it will release toxins that damage and inflame respiratory system.

Currently, standards for the diagnosis and treatment of AB are inconsistent, but all guidelines recommend avoiding prescribing antibiotics for acute cough/AB (Dempsey, Businger, Whaley, Gagne & Linder, 2014). A viral infection is usually a self-limited illness (Busse & Lemanske, 2010). Symptoms management such as cough control is the goal and recommended in managing AB. Therefore, the importance of the familiarity of the clinicians with the recent clinical guidelines for AB and adherence to the guidelines is recommended, but can be challenging in terms of consistently utilizing the guidelines into their practice (McCollough, Zimmerman, and Rodriguez, 2014).

E. Based on the existing healthcare setup, there is need to focus on the next five years to develop a clear prevention solution to the pertussis disease(Gabutti et al., 2015). . This is based on the understanding that pertussis disease has been a major public health over the years and its continuous rate of transmission despite the availability of the vaccine makes it even more complicated to find an everlasting solution to the

o Older adults and immunocompromised patients may have fewer or milder symptoms o Some newborns and infants may not have any signs of infection

Yes I would order a chest x ray due to the duration of her cough, the fact that it is post infectious, her age, and to evaluate for pneumonia and masses. Due to the duration of the cough and the fact that her cough is becoming productive with yellow sputum, I would tell the patient she probably started out with a viral bronchitis that now could be transitioning into a bacterial bronchitis and/or Pertussis and I would prescribe an antibiotic that will cover both: Azithromycin 500mg PO day 1, then 250mg PO Daily X 4 days. I would instruct her to buy over the counter mucinex take as directed on box, and drink plenty of fluids. If the cough does not improve in 3 weeks have her follow up.