How does whooping cough affect children?
Whooping cough can be life-threatening for infants younger than 6 months, so they almost always need hospital treatment. Other potential complications include difficulty breathing, periods of apnea, needing oxygen (particularly during a coughing spell), and dehydration.
Does whooping cough affect the respiratory system?
Once the bacteria, known as Bordetella pertussis, is inhaled from an infected person coughing or sneezing, it attaches to the tiny, hair-like structures (cilia) that line the upper respiratory system and releases poisons that damage them. This, in turn, causes the airways to swell, making it hard to breathe.
Can whooping cough cause asthma?
Individuals with asthma may develop more severe symptoms if they contract the whooping cough. Whooping cough can also worsen asthma control, even months after diagnosis. Lastly, whooping cough in infancy or childhood increases the risk of developing asthma later in life.
What body systems are affected by whooping cough?
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection. Whooping cough spreads easily by coughing and sneezing and mainly affects the respiratory system (the organs that help you breathe, such as your lungs).
How does whooping cough affect the lungs?
Pertussis can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from your lungs. When there is no more air in the lungs, you are forced to inhale with a loud “whooping” sound. This extreme coughing can cause you to throw up and be very tired.
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.
Can whooping cough permanently damage your lungs?
Summary: People born during whooping cough outbreaks are more likely to die prematurely even if they survive into adulthood, new research has found. Women had a 20% higher risk of an early death, and men a staggering 40%.
Can whooping cough cause bronchitis?
Most cases of bronchitis are caused by a viral infection of the upper airways, such as the common cold or the flu. Less commonly, a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis, which causes pertussis (whooping cough), is the cause.
Can whooping cough be mistaken for bronchitis?
Symptoms appear between six to twenty-one days (average 7-10) after exposure to the pertussis bacteria. Among older children and adults, the disease usually results in symptoms that can be mistaken for bronchitis and Upper Respiratory Infections – persistent cough, but no whoop.