Pertussis

Disease information

Pertussis

Ferina cough.

Infection of vias respiratory losses (bronchitis) produced by Hemophilus Pertussis (IN ITALICA)

It affects small children, causing characteristic a paroxística cough ("ferina cough")

Prognosis.

With the suitable hospitable treatment, mortality is inferior to 5 %, being greater at the most young is the boy.

After this treatment, the permanent complications are minimum.

Complications.

Most important during the disease they are the dehydration, cerebral anoxia (lack of oxygen for the brain) secondary cerebral hemorrhage or neumonía.

In the mid term permanent widenings of the bronchi (bronquiectasias) or permanent cerebral damage can take place.

Diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis.

The clinical diagnosis can be difficult in the catarrhal phase, but it must be suspected before any boy with susceptible persistent cough (that is not vaccinated)

Analyses of blood and x - rays can be required, to discard other infections.

Treatment.

The treatment is antibiotic, being able to require the hospitable entrance for its endovenosa administration.

Also the associated problems will have to treat, like dehydration and lack of oxigenación.

General Measures.

None in special for the patient.

The respiratory isolation is important to restrain its transmission to other children. This it includes the use of masks for the people who enter the room, and to prevent the access to children nonvaccinated.

Medication.

The doctor will pautará necessary antibiotics.

Also it can prescribe mucolíticos, analgesic and antithermal, according to the circumstances.

Activity the patients usually require rest in bed during the acute phases (catarrhal and paroxística) later can reinitiate their habitual activities slowly.

Diet.

It agrees to contribute liquids to favor the expectoración.

Call yes to the doctor.

The boy does not respond to the treatment, convulsiona, he is become sleepy or he is put blue around the mouth or by the fingers.

Factors of risk.

Contact with an infected person (it is transmitted by air)

Conditions, like winter time, hacinamiento, etc. that facilitate this contact.

Prevention.

Although they have risen critical, the vaccination generalized in the minors of 6 years has reduced very remarkably its incidence and, case of taking place the infection (what he is posile) its gravity (before restoring the vaccination in the EE. UU. A. the ferina cough caused so many deaths as ALL the other together contagious diseases)

The patients with a diagnosis of suspicion of ferina cough must be isolated (respiratory isolation) and their susceptible near contacts must be vaccinated and to receive a complete antibiotic treatment.

Signs and symptoms.

After a period of incubation of between one week to ten days, the "catarrhal Phase" begins, with:

Estornudos,

Rinorrea (abundant nasal mucosity)

Moderate fever,

Anorexy (lack of appetite) and.

Discreet cough.

After one to two weeks one enters the "paroxística phase", in which the cough predominates:

Attacks, to variable intérvalos, of paroxística cough, followed of a very noisy sibilante inspiration.

It prevents the food ingestion.

It lasts of two to three weeks.

It is accompanied by vomits caused by the swallowed snot.

Finally, during the recovery, that lasts between one and six weeks, it is attenuated the cough, although the espasmos can continue, often precipitated by the tobacco or the contamination.

In the greater adults and children the symptoms are slighter, but usually they are more lasting.

Causes.

Infection by Hemophilus Pertussis, negative bacillus gram of the Hemophilus sort, that includes manifold pathogenic like the H. Influenzae, that produces meningitis and epiglotitis in smaller children of 4 years.

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