recently
Quite a few children and even adults appeared
Low-grade fever, runny nose, paroxysmal crampy cough symptoms
And the cough does not heal for a long time
There's even a deep inhalation roar like a rooster's crow
The culprit who caused this series of discomforts
Is it influenza, coronavirus, mycoplasma infection?
Or what's going on?
The answer is revealed
It's whooping cough!
According to the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention's National Notification of the Epidemic of Notifiable Infectious Diseases, 32,152 cases of pertussis were reported nationwide from January 1 to February 29, 2024, 23 times that of the same period in 2023 (1,337 cases), and 12 deaths were reported.
If you have a cough that comes and goes, it's not always good
Disease control experts remind everyone
Be wary of whooping cough
01
What is whooping cough
Pertussis is an acute respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, which is a notifiable Class B infectious disease. The course of the disease is long, and typical cases can manifest as cough that lasts for 2-3 months, so it is called "whooping cough".
02
How is whooping cough transmitted?
Pertussis is mainly spread by droplets. Infected people are the main source of infection, and for infants and young children, parents or other people who live with whooping cough are the main source of infection.
03
Who is the most harmful to whooping cough?
Pertussis can be seen in all age groups, with infants and young children without a history of immunization at higher risk. The younger the child, the higher the risk of complications and severe disease, and even death.
04
How is whooping cough recognized, and what are its clinical manifestations?
Typical cases of whooping cough may present with paroxysmal crampy cough accompanied by a rooster-like sound after 1 to 2 weeks of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, worsening at night, and may be accompanied by vomiting.
Infant cases, those with a history of vaccination or whooping cough have atypical symptoms after infection, among which infant cases do not have typical spastic cough after infection, and are prone to cyanosis, shortness of breath, apnea, and even suffocation.
05
How can I prevent whooping cough?
Pertussis-containing vaccine is the most cost-effective means of preventing pertussis and can effectively reduce the risk of infection and severe cases. According to the National Immunization Programme (NIP), children should receive one dose of pertussis-containing vaccine at 3, 4, 5 and 18 months of age. School-age children should be vaccinated with pertussis-containing vaccines in a timely and full manner, and unvaccinated children should be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Wearing a mask is an important measure to prevent respiratory infections and can effectively reduce the spread of pathogens. Parents with respiratory tract infection symptoms such as cough should wear masks when taking care of infants and young children in close contact to reduce the risk of infection of infants and young children.
In addition, members of the public should maintain good hygiene, wash hands frequently, ventilate frequently, cover their mouth and nose with elbows or tissues when coughing or sneezing, and pay attention to reasonable work and rest and appropriate physical exercise.