The Truth Behind Your Cough
Pertussis or Whooping Cough: What You Need to Know
The highly contagious pertussis bacterial infection, also known as “whooping cough,” spreads through coughing and sneezing. Infections can last upwards of 4 weeks while coughing spells can persist for months.
Here’s what you need to know about the identification and treatment of pertussis.
Symptoms
First Stage Infection
- Begins looking like a mild cold.
- May include runny nose and low-grade fever.
Second Stage Infection
- Coughing comes in fits as the body tries to fight the infection.
- Coughing fits are often followed by difficulty breathing, gagging, exhaustion, or even vomiting.
- Can last up to 10 weeks.
Third Stage (Recovery)
- Recovery is a gradual process, often lasting 3 weeks or more.
- Coughing fits become less frequent as the body heals.
- At this stage, the body is vulnerable to other respiratory infections.
Extreme Cases
- After a coughing fit, breathing may stop entirely.
- As a lung infection, pertussis can lead to pneumonia.
- Especially dangerous for vulnerable persons: children, new and expectant mothers, and the elderly.
Treatment
Preventative vaccinations are the best option. At birth, children can receive a series of 5 specialized vaccinations to protect them during their vulnerable years. Children 7 and older, and adults, can receive a one-time vaccination for temporary protection.
If you think you have pertussis,
- See your family doctor.
- Try to limit your exposure to other people. Pertussis is very contagious.
Your family doctor may prescribe any of the following antibiotics:
- Zithromax (Azithromycin)
- Biaxin (Clarithromycin)
- Erythromycin: E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone
- Proloprim (Trimethoprim)
- Bactrim or Septra
Purchasing Antibiotics in the USA
Do you have an antibiotics prescription to help fight pertussis?
Before you fill your prescription, do some looking around. When you compare prices between your local drugstore and Online Pharmacies Canada, you may find a real difference.
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- McAfee Online Security
- The Canadian International Pharmacy Association
- The International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia
All pharmaceuticals meet rigorous Canadian Healthcare standards.
Learn more about Online Pharmacies Canada here.
Preventing Pertussis or Whooping Cough – Vaccines
Aside from adult pertussis vaccinations, a series of vaccinations have been specially developed to protect our children, right from birth. And children need the protection, since they are the ones most likely to have complications.
If you have kids or work with the elderly, you need to know about your adult pertussis vaccination options.
Below, we’ve outlined both ‘from birth’ and ‘adult’ options.
Vaccination from Birth: DTaP
With a newborn baby, the DTaP vaccine should be on your radar. This five-step protective vaccination stands for “dipheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis” making it effective against more than just whooping cough.
Children should get a DTaP vaccination at:
- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 15-18 months
- and 4-6 years
Young children in this age range may not have the strength to make the ‘whooping’ sound that comes with pertussis. An infant with this kind of infection is in more danger than an adult or an older child.
Vaccination for Adults and Older Children: Tdap
The Tdap vaccination works to offer temporary protection to everyone 7 and older. So, if your child missed the DTaP vaccinations, that’s okay! Talk to your doctor and ask about Tdap. It works to protect against the same problems as DTaP.
Remember, both of these vaccinations provide temporary protection from pertussis. This is an infection where lifetime immunity is not an option.
Even vaccination is not 100% effective. Nothing beats washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze.