In winter, there is a high incidence of respiratory diseases.
Quite a few children have a cough.
"Non-stop, cough cough is always bad for repeated coughing?" What's going on?
Recently, someone on the Internet said,Whooping coughThe reported incidence has increased significantly compared with the same period in previous years, and some netizens also said that there are several cases of whooping cough that they know around them. Could it be whooping cough?
What is whooping cough? Is it really abnormally elevated? Is it because the child has a bad cough?
What is whooping cough?
Pertussis is an acute respiratory infection caused by B. pertussis infection. It is characterized by paroxysmal spasmodic cough and a deep "rooster" inspiratory echo at the end of the cough, and the course of the disease is often prolonged for 2-3 months, so it is called whooping cough.
The disease is highly contagious and mostly occurs in infants and young children. Infants and critically ill patients may develop pneumonia or pertussis encephalitis. This disease is a Class B notifiable infectious disease.
Clinical manifestations of whooping cough: in the early stage of the disease, there may be low-grade fever, cough, sneezing, tearing and other manifestations. Initially a single dry cough, the cough worsens after the fever subsides in 2 to 3 days, especially at night. After the 7th 14th day, the fever subsides and paroxysmal spasms appear, often short, 10 to 30 coughs, followed by deep and long inhalations. When you inhale, air passes through the narrow, tense vocal cords and produces a "rooster-like" croup. This is followed by repeated bouts of cough until a large amount of mucous phlegm is coughed up or vomited with stomach contents. Cramps are often evident at night. Older children and** may not have the typical crampy cough.
Epidemiological features of pertussis:
Pertussis patients, people with hidden infection and carriers are the source of infection, which is excreted mainly through the patientDroplets or respiratory secretionsDisseminate.
The population is generally susceptible, and children under 5 years of age are more likely to be susceptible. The incubation period is generally 7-10 days. It is most contagious from the end of the incubation period to 2-3 weeks after illness.
Has the incidence of whooping cough increased?
As a notifiable infectious disease, pertussis is monitored and reported by the state. From January to November 2023, a total of 29,079 cases of whooping cough were reported across the country, of which the incidence increased significantly from July, and a total of 6,410 cases were reported in November, as shown in the figure below.
Figure of the national pertussis report from January to November 2023.
Statistical analysis of the reported cases of pertussis in China in the past 15 years shows that in recent years, the overall reported cases of pertussis in China have shown a significant upward trend, as shown in the figure below.
Highlights:Recently, the number of pertussis cases reported nationwide has increased significantlyAgain, we need to pay more attention.
How to know
Do you have whooping cough?
If your child has the clinical manifestations of whooping cough above, it is best to go to the hospital.
Routine blood tests typically show a marked increase in the total number of white blood cells, up to 20 to 50 x 109 L, with lymphocytes predominantly elevated. At present, the most widely used test is pertussis nucleic acid, which can be positive with PCR test taken from a nasopharyngeal swab within 3 weeks of onset. If pertussis is diagnosed, cooperate with your doctor**.
How can it be prevented?
1.Vaccinations
Vaccination is one of the important ways to prevent whooping cough, and children in our country receive one dose each at the age of 18 to 24 months after birth. As immunity levels decline with age, older children,** and those trying to conceive can be boosted to improve their immunity.
It is important to note that pertussis vaccination or natural infection does not result in long-lasting immunity and can be reinfected. Therefore, it is still necessary to do a good job of daily personal hygiene precautions.
2.Cut off the route of transmission.
Control the source of infection and cut off the route of transmission, i.e., the patient is found to be in respiratory isolation promptly**, and should be isolated until 5 days after effective antibiotics** or 21 days after the onset of illness.
In addition, confirmed cases should be isolated at home or hospitalized in strict accordance with the doctor's instructions**, and wear a mask until the cough disappears. The patient's room should be regularly opened for ventilation, wet cleaning, and frequent drying of clothes and quilts, without terminal disinfection. The sputum and vomit of the case can be disinfected with chlorine-containing preparations such as bleaching powder. Close contacts were under medical observation for 21 days, and suspected cases were found to be quarantined in a timely manner**. During the period of medical observation in childcare institutions, morning and afternoon inspections and tracking of absenteeism due to illness should be strengthened.