Nutrition
Can pertussis be mild?
The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. In babies, the cough can be minimal or not even there. Babies may have a symptom known as “apnea.” Apnea is a pause in the child's breathing pattern. Pertussis is most dangerous for babies.
Can pertussis resolve itself?
Pertussis bacteria die off naturally after three weeks of coughing. If antibiotics are not started within that time, they are no longer recommended. Antibiotics can also be given to close contacts of persons with pertussis to prevent or lessen the symptoms.
How should you treat pertussis?
Healthcare providers generally treat pertussis with antibiotics and early treatment is very important. Treatment may make your infection less serious if you start it early, before coughing fits begin.
What are the stages of pertussis?
This disease has 3 stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal, and convalescent. The symptoms of the catarrhal stage are mild and may go unnoticed. The paroxysmal stage of Pertussis is characterized by episodes of coughing with a distinctive “whooping” sound when breathing in (inspiration).
What happens if pertussis is left untreated?
Complications of whooping cough are more common in infants and young children. They may include pneumonia, middle ear infection, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, fainting, dehydration, seizures, altered brain function (encephalopathy), brief periods when breathing stops and death.
How is pertussis treated in adults?
Several antibiotics are available to treat pertussis. The most popular are azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin. If you have had pertussis for three weeks or more, antibiotics will not be prescribed because the bacteria are already gone from your body.
What is the best antibiotic for pertussis?
Erythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic, has been the antimicrobial of choice for treatment or postexposure prophylaxis of pertussis. It is usually administered in 4 divided daily doses for 14 days.
What is the first line treatment for pertussis?
Macrolide antibiotics such as azithromycin are first-line treatments to prevent transmission; trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is an alternative in cases of allergy or intolerance to macrolides. Immunization against pertussis is essential for disease prevention.
How long does whooping cough last without treatment?
Whooping cough can last up to 10 weeks and can lead to pneumonia and other complications. The symptoms of whooping cough may look like other medical conditions. Always consult your health care provider for a diagnosis.
How do you get rid of whooping cough fast?
Antibiotics kill the bacteria causing whooping cough and help speed recovery. Exposed family members may be given preventive antibiotics. Unfortunately, not much is available to relieve the cough. Over-the-counter cough medicines, for instance, have little effect on whooping cough and are discouraged.
Does amoxicillin treat pertussis?
The effectiveness of oral erythromycin and amoxycillin in eradicating Bordetella pertussis from the nasopharynx was compared. Erythromycin in a dosage of 40--50 mg/kg/day was significantly more effective than amoxycillin in a dosage of 25--30 mg/kg/day.
When do you need antibiotics for a cough?
You might also cough up thick, yellow or green mucus. These symptoms may also occur with a cold. But if they last for more than a week or are severe, you may have a bacterial infection and need antibiotics.