Pertussis
Pertussis or whooping cough is a respiratory tract disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. This disease is highly contagious. Whooping cough can be serious when it affects infants and young children who have not been vaccinated. Pertussis causes thick mucus to develop in the airways. There might be inflammation of the breathing tubes in the lungs.
A patient suffering from pertussis has severe coughing spells. There might be low-grade fever too. The person may make a characteristic whooping sound, that is high pitched while coughing. The cough attacks are worse at night. Cough spells may be accompanied by vomiting. Other symptoms of pertussis include nasal congestion and runny nose. There is likely to be loss of appetite.
Treatment for pertussis includes antibiotics such as azithromycin or erythromycin. Sometimes hospitalization may be required. It takes about 4 - 6 weeks for pertussis infection to clear off with the right treatment and care. Pertussis vaccine immunizes a person from whooping cough. This is part of the immunization schedule for children. Pertussis vaccine is given along with the vaccines for diptheria and tetanus. This DPT vaccine is given to children and followed up in adult life too.
Paroxysm
Paroxysm refers to sudden fit or outbursts. These paroxymal attacks are short and usually frequent. Paroxymal attacks are associated with pertussis, encephalitis, heat trauma, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. A paroxysm is most often triggered by anxiety, neck flexion and anger. Diptheria vaccine
The diptheria vaccine has been part of the immunization schedule for children since many decades. It is called the DTP vaccine as it is given in combination with tetanus and pertussis. This diptheria vaccine is a toxid usually given to an infant and followed by booster shots. Older children and adults must also be vaccinated against diptheria. Sometimes there is a reaction to the diptheria vaccine. A child may develop swelling and redness at the vaccination spot. These reactions usually disappear in a couple of days. In rare cases, there is an allergic reaction that leads to shock or seizure.
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