WHOOPING COUGH

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis.It is also known as cough of 100 days. The infection is transmitted by droplets from the infected persons .It occurs more commonly in the late winter and early spring months. This cough occurs at an earlier age in developing countries due to earlier exposure to the source of infection. There are no reservoirs or carrier state, though asymptomatic infections are known to occur. The incubation period is 7-14 days. These clinical manifestations may be divided into three stages catarrhal, paroxysmal, convalescent stages and other complications include pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and subcutaneous emphysema. Severe malnutrition may result from persistent vomiting and disinclination to eat the food because of fear of cough occurring with attempts at feeding. Infants younger than six months or those with severe illness should be hospitalized and antibiotics given in this stage shorten the course of illness and prevent the contagion.Erythromycin are the perfect antibiotics used to cure this cough. Active immunization with triple antigen should be given at monthly intervals starting from 6 weeks of age. Generally 3 injections are given and a booster dose should be given after 1 year and acellular vaccine can be used for both primary vaccination .Immunization should be discontinued if the child develops a seizure. The precaution is necessary to minimize the risk of encephalopathy following pertussis vaccine