WANTED: WHOOPING COUGH
Austin Sharkey
What is the "Whooping Cough"?
The whooping cough, also referred to as Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease. This disease makes it hard for the patient to breathe. Called the whooping cough because your throat makes a "whooping" sound when you breathe.
How does Perrussis spread?
Whooping Cough is spread by direct contact with the mucus of someone who is infected with it. So if someone with the Whooping Cough coughs on you, you have a high chance of also being infected with it.
Who does the Whooping Cough target?
The Whooping cough can affect anyone, but infants and elderly people are affected more severely.
Where can Pertussis be located?
Pertussis is a respiratory infection, gets into your body through an opening.
What happens to the infected?
Although death from Pertussis is rare, there are still awful effects. Sneezing, runny nose, fever and cough last for two week. After this the disease gets more severe. Many coughing episodes occur uncontrollably to a point where you can't breathe, and you make high-pitched whooping noises. For children and the elderly these affects are more severe. These symptoms can last for about 40 days.
How bad is the Whooping Cough?
The Whooping Cough is a deadly disease for children, (killed 10 children in 2010) and a very annoying disease for adults, (can take you out of work for more than a month.) Also, this disease is highly contagious. I'd personally rank this as a 6/10.
What can help cure the cough?
Over the counter medicines will not help with Pertussis, instead you'll need to be prescribed antibiotics called erythromycin. Also, he most effective way to prevent pertussis is through vaccination with DTaP. Breathing moist air from a humidifier will help. Infants should be hospitalized immediately.
Facts about Pertussis
1. Caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis
2. In 2010, 27,550 cases of pertussis (whooping cough) were reported in the U.S.
3. Worldwide, there are an estimated 30-50 million cases of pertussis and about 300,000 deaths per year.
4. Sometimes known as the "100 day cough."
5. A pertussis epidemic was declared in Washington on April 3, 2012. During 2012, 4,783 cases were reported statewide through (through January 5, 2013), compared to 965 reported cases in 2011 and 608 in 2010.
2. In 2010, 27,550 cases of pertussis (whooping cough) were reported in the U.S.
3. Worldwide, there are an estimated 30-50 million cases of pertussis and about 300,000 deaths per year.
4. Sometimes known as the "100 day cough."
5. A pertussis epidemic was declared in Washington on April 3, 2012. During 2012, 4,783 cases were reported statewide through (through January 5, 2013), compared to 965 reported cases in 2011 and 608 in 2010.