Whooping Cough Research Paper

Initial symptoms, such as a common cold, can develop a week or two after being exposed to bacteria. Ten to twelve days later after being exposed to the disease, severe occasions of coughing start. In children, the coughing usually finishes with a "whoop" sound. The sound is heard being made when the patient takes a breath. The “whoop” sound is rare in adult patients and patients under six months of age. Choking spells are common in infants. Vomiting or a short loss of consciousness is one of the other counters to expect when encountering the cough. Coughing and vomiting together at the same time is an automatic symptom of pertussis. Having a runny nose, a slight fever, or even diarrhea are different symptoms of pertussis (Guilfoile, 2010). …show more content…
It is a severe disease that has the ability to cause permanent disability in infants. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, minor drops containing the bacteria move through the air, and the disease has the ability to easily spread from person to person. The infection usually lasts four to six weeks. A “whooping cough” can affect people of any age throughout their life. Before vaccines were generally available, the disease was mostly shared within infants and young children. Now most children are immunized before entering school, a higher percentage of cases is seen among adolescents and adults, because of it being spread so easily (Whooping Cough,