Symptoms of whooping cough

The incubation period of pertussis is from 3 to 15 days, an average of 5-8 days. Symptoms of whooping cough are different, so during the course of the disease, you can distinguish three periods: catarrhal, spasmodic and resolution period. The course of pertussis is slow, cyclical.

Catarrhal period of pertussis

The disease with whooping cough begins gradually. There is a dry cough, sometimes a slight increase in body temperature and a slight runny nose. The general condition of the child is usually not broken. When examined, objective changes are not detected. Within 1-2 weeks cough gradually increases, becomes obtrusive and then paroxysmal. The duration of the catarrhal period is about 2 weeks. In severe cases, especially in infants, it is shortened to 5-7 days.

[1], [2], [3]

Spasmodic period of pertussis

Transition of the disease to the next, spasmodic, pertussis period is accompanied by the appearance of well-defined attacks of spasmodic cough, a series of coughing jerks that quickly follow one another after exhaling. After the coughing, an inhalation takes place, accompanied by a spasmodic narrowing of the glottis with a whistling sound (reprise), followed by a coughing push on the exhalation and a wheezing breath, etc.

Whooping cough, the symptoms of which are manifested by the child's red face, cyanosis, swelling of the veins of the neck, tear of the eyes (as if poured with blood), stretching the head forward, sticking out the tongue to the limit (with the tongue bruising traumatizing the lower incisors, so that children having teeth, may appear jaundice on the bridle of the tongue) indicate a spasmodic cough. In severe cases, during an attack, there are nosebleeds, scleral hemorrhage, apnea, involuntary urination and defecation. Coughing attacks result in the release of viscous viscous sputum and vomiting.

Changes in peripheral blood in pertussis include leukocytosis (up to 15-40x10 ⁹ / l), monocytosis (up to 60-80%); ESR is normal or somewhat reduced. The most pronounced changes in blood appear in the spasmodic period.

Pertussis resolution period

The duration of the spasmodic period of pertussis from 2 to 4 weeks. Then the coughing attacks gradually weaken, and the resolution period starts, during which coughing attacks become less frequent, recapitulations disappear, sputum is more easily separated. During this period, cough becomes normal. The total duration of this period is from 1.5 to 2-3 months. However, often in the period of resolution or even after the complete disappearance of cough, there are again spasmodic coughing attacks in connection with the association with ARVI. These seizures can be explained by the focus of excitation in the medulla oblongata.

Complications of pertussis

Complications of whooping cough may be related to the underlying disease or result from autoinfection and superinfection. Complications caused by the underlying disease include CNS lesions manifested by encephalopathy, seizures or meningism, pneumothorax, subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema, umbilical or inguinal hernia, nosebleeds, hemorrhages on the skin and conjunctiva. In connection with the obstruction of the lumen of the bronchus with thick viscous sputum, segmental and lobar atelectasis in the lungs, as well as emphysema, easily arise.

Symptoms of whooping cough in vaccinated children usually occur in an atypical, erased form, without a spasmodic cough. In this case, note an easy, uncharacteristic, but prolonged coughing (up to 5-7 weeks). There are no complications. Typical pertussis hematologic shifts (leukocytosis and lymphocytosis) are rare.

[4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]