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Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection that poses a serious risk to the lives of infants if they are not vaccinated. The best way to prevent it is vaccination. Public Health of Castilla-La Mancha has confirmed an outbreak of whooping cough in Guadalajara with 137 affected, mainly from schools, and mostly children, none hospitalized.

Respiratory infection from contagious whooping cough can also be serious in immunocompromised people and pregnant women, health authorities say.

Whooping cough is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. In adolescents and adults it is usually milder, but children under four months are the most vulnerable group.

Symptoms of contagious whooping cough

Its symptoms develop in two phases. The first usually lasts one or two weeks and can be easily confused with a cold or other respiratory infections, as it causes nasal congestion, low fever and occasional mild cough.

But from the second week, more serious symptoms appear such as rapid, violent and uncontrollable coughing attacks.

In general, its most characteristic symptoms are nasal congestion, watery eyes, dry or convulsive cough, fever and vomiting.

Vaccination

Health authorities insist on the importance of vaccination as the main strategy to protect against and prevent this disease.

The vast majority of unvaccinated people who are in contact with a whooping cough patient are candidates for developing the disease.

Vaccination is the most effective measure to control the transmission of whooping cough.

Complications of whooping cough

Among the complications that pertussis can present are pneumonia, otitis media, respiratory failure, encephalopathy and seizures. The most serious complication that can even cause death is apnea (stopping breathing) and progressive respiratory failure.

The Spanish Association of Pediatrics offers questions and answers about whooping cough on its website.

How do you get the disease?

Whooping cough is very contagious. It spreads easily through the air when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. 83 percent of infection cases come from an adult who lives in the same house with a baby.

Who can suffer from it?

Whooping cough can be contracted at any age. Younger children who have not completed their vaccination schedule or those who have not received the full dose of the vaccine are at greater risk of suffering from the most serious form of this disease.

Can it happen more than once?

Getting over whooping cough does not guarantee permanent immunity, so even people who have had it should get vaccinated.

How is it different from a cold?

The initial symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a common cold. After one or two weeks, characteristic attacks may appear.

Unlike the common cold, coughing attacks persist for several weeks at a time.

Diagnosis and treatment of contagious whooping cough

Early diagnosis of whooping cough is essential to initiate treatment, which is advisable to begin during the catarrhal phase of the disease, as this is more likely to reduce the intensity and duration of the symptoms.

The whooping cough It is treated with antibiotics that the pediatrician will prescribe and will be more effective if administered with mild symptoms.

While the treatment lasts, it is advisable:

• Promote the child’s rest.
• Keep the home free of irritating substances to prevent coughing attacks from occurring more easily.
• Offer the child small and frequent portions of food to avoid vomiting, as well as encourage him to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Pregnant women must be made aware of the importance of vaccination (EFE/JJ Guillén

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2024-02-07 15:54:49
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