Whooping cough
Whooping cough is a disease, the main symptom of which is a painful incessant cough. As a rule, children are susceptible to this pathological condition, but whooping cough also occurs in adults.
SYMPTOMS OF WHOOPING COUGH
Signs of whooping cough begin to appear after the incubation period, which averages about a week, but can be from 3 to 14 days.
At first, the disease is manifested by nonspecific catarrhal phenomena (runny nose, cough, slight increase in body temperature). Gradually, coughing attacks become more and more painful and frequent. This is due to the fact that a reflex arc is formed in the central nervous system, which is activated not only by the toxin of the bacterium, but also by various external influences. That is why the cough appears even with ordinary conversation or laughter.
In some cases, vomiting and vascular dystonia may occur, associated with the activation of brain centers that are located next to the cough. Quite rarely, children may develop convulsive syndrome.
The disease lasts about a month, and then comes the recovery period, which may last for several more months. Similar, but less pronounced symptoms can cause paracoccus.
Due to damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and the weakening of local immunity, a secondary infection often joins. At the same time, bronchitis and pneumonia develop, which are accompanied by an increase in body temperature and the appearance of purulent sputum.
CAUSES OF WHOOPING COUGH
The causative agent of whooping cough is a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis, which is an aerobic microorganism. It is not very stable in the external environment, but it can maintain vital activity for several hours. This is usually enough for infection, the main route of which is airborne. At the same time, infection is possible only with close contact, since the aerosol cannot spread over significant distances.
After entering the respiratory tract, the bacterium multiplies, but it does not penetrate deep into the body, but remains on the surface of the inner shell. The microorganism produces substances that irritate the mucous membrane and lead to the appearance of symptoms.
Most often, whooping cough develops in children, this is due to the peculiarities of the immune system. When breastfeeding, protection with maternal antibodies is possible, but in the future they are not enough. After the disease, antibodies to whooping cough persist for life, although cases of re-infection in old age have been reported.
DIAGNOSIS OF WHOOPING COUGH
The disease can be suspected on the basis of a characteristic clinical picture, but in order to confirm it, it is necessary to donate blood for whooping cough. To do this, use the following techniques:
A bacteriological method in which biological media (smear, sputum) are sown on nutrient media and the growth of the pathogen is monitored.
Serological method (agglutination reaction and compliment binding), in which antibodies to whooping cough are determined in the blood of patients. Usually they begin to be detected only 2-3 weeks after infection, so they serve more to confirm the diagnosis.
Enzyme immunoassay for whooping cough allows you to determine specific IgM and IgG antibodies, by the presence and titer of which you can judge the prescription of the disease.
In the general blood test, ESR and leukocytes increase, but not always, so this sign is non-specific.
The molecular method – polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has high sensitivity and specificity. In this case, fragments of the genetic material of the pathogen are determined.
TREATMENT OF WHOOPING COUGH
Treatment of whooping cough is prescribed depending on the stage of the pathological process. The main classes of drugs used in this case include:
Antibiotics to which the causative agent of the disease is sensitive, it is advisable to prescribe in the initial catarrhal period. These include macrolides, aminoglycosides, ampicillin.
Immunotherapy using a specific anti-pertussis gammaglobulin.
Antihistamines to reduce swelling and irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.
Sedative and sedative medications (pipolfen, relanium, seduxen) that affect the cough center of the brain. They help to slow down the pathologic reflex arc.
Neuroleptics are prescribed only in severe cases.
In addition to medical treatment, it is necessary to spend as much time outdoors as possible. It is recommended to install a humidifier at home. It is also necessary to limit the stimulating effect on the nervous system, especially for children. Physiotherapy, including hyperbaric oxygenation and inhalations with proteolytic enzymes, has a good effect.
To prevent the disease, children are vaccinated with DPT (whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus), which, however, does not guarantee the development of persistent immunity. It was found that the risk of infection in vaccinated children is reduced by 5-6 times. At the same time, the infectious process proceeds much easier, and may even be asymptomatic.
The prognosis of the disease is favorable, as a rule, whooping cough ends with recovery.
