Analysis on whooping cough. How dangerous is this disease and how to treat it?

Pertussis is a disease that occurs because of the penetration of the pathogen of a bacterial infection by an airborne method.

What can the analysis show on whooping cough? In children with pertussis, the level of leukocytes (2-7x10 ⁹ / l) increases in the blood, and in the leukocyte formula , mainly lymphocytes are present. As the disease worsens, the level of leukocytes increases. In children with weakened immunity, vaccinated and those who have unexpressed forms of whooping cough, there is no fluctuation in the analysis. The rate of erythrocyte sedimentation is moderate or slightly underestimated. Deviations in the picture of blood are observed only in the catarrhal stage of the disease.

Symptoms of whooping cough in children

What is the symptomatology of whooping cough? How is this disease? At the initial stage, the disease in children develops without any specific manifestations. The body temperature can rise to 38 degrees, there is a runny nose, a rare and dry cough. During this period of the disease, whooping cough is most dangerous to people around. In general, the symptomatology is similar to acute respiratory disease. Pertussis wand at this time multiplies as actively as possible, while it releases toxin.

At the next stage of the disease, which occurs after 2 weeks, the child's condition becomes significantly worse. There is a special spasmodic cough. Each such cough push is accompanied by a whistle and a deep breath. With such a cough, the child can strongly stick out the tongue, damaging it. The face and neck area can turn blue, sometimes breathing stops are observed. At the end of the attack sputum is released, and sometimes vomit. Based on the complexity of the disease, the number of seizures can reach up to 50 per day.

After 20-30 days the disease is transformed into the next stage. Spasmodic cough is replaced by a cough usual. The child's well-being becomes much better, the temperature goes down and the appetite returns. This stage lasts up to 3 weeks.

How does it manifest in adults whooping cough? How is this unpleasant disease? Symptomatic in adults is similar to that of a child, with the only difference is that there are no boundaries between the stages of the disease. In this cough is very pronounced, seasick, increasing by night.

Characteristics of pertussis in young children

The incubation and pre-convulsive time is reduced to 1-2 days, and the time of convulsive coughing increases to 6-8 weeks.

In newborn children, instead of usual attacks of cough, the equivalent symptoms are observed: sneezing, unreasonable crying, screaming. Diagnosed hemorrhagic disorders: bleeding in the central nervous system, sometimes - in the outer dense shell of the eye and skin. The condition of patients during periods between periods is worsened: children experience a decline in strength, and lose the skills that were developed before the disease process. Often there are special exacerbations, which can sometimes be life-threatening, among them: apnea, deviations from the normal blood flow of the brain. Interruptions in breathing, up to a temporary stop, can manifest without coughing, for example during sleep, or after eating. Among nonspecific exacerbations, pneumonia is most often diagnosed. There are deaths.

Characteristic features of whooping cough in vaccinated children

Children who are vaccinated against pertussis have a chance to get sick due to weak immunity or worsening of their tension. In most cases simple and moderate forms of the disease are diagnosed, the severe are not characteristic. Special complications are very rare, and they do not pose a threat to life, so there are no lethal cases. For the most part, atypical types of pertussis occur. Up to 2 weeks incubation and pre-convulsive periods increase, and the spasmodic cough cycle is reduced to 2 weeks.

Diagnosis of the disease

Which analysis for whooping cough is necessary to pass? In order to detect possible exacerbations, a general urine test and a biochemical blood test are done. In the case of a normal course of the disease, they do not change.

A general analysis of sputum makes it possible to exclude bronchial asthma, tuberculosis and influenza. In whooping cough phlegm is mucous, with the appearance of concomitant pneumonia it becomes mucopurulent or purulent.

A great benefit for the doctor in determining the diagnosis, especially at the initial stages of the disease, gives a bacteriological method of analysis - the cultivation of microorganisms on nutrient media. For a long time, the method of "cough plate", recommended by Mauritzen, was used to determine the pertussis bacterium. At the time of another bout of cough at a distance of 5-8 cm from the child have an open Petri dish with a nutrient medium. Microscopic drops of mucus in which the pertussis bacterium is located, flying out of the mouth, settle on it. After 2-4 days, based on the culture grown, a diagnosis is made. This type of diagnosis has one flaw - it is almost ineffective in young children who do not cough well enough, and who have no cough.

There is a relatively recent method of finding the cause of pertussis - sowing bacteria from the nasopharynx and from under the tongue. This method of diagnosis is considered the most effective, but after 4-5 weeks after the onset of the disease, it does not make sense, because the pathogen can not be isolated. Premature antibiotic use also reduces the chances of isolating pertussis whooping cough.

Preparatory stage before the study

The main symptom of whooping cough is acute attacks of suffocating cough, which is sometimes accompanied by vomiting, in especially severe cases, such an attack is quite easy to cause, for example, at the time of taking the sample for examination. At such times moms need to be prepared, that maybe a child will need help.

The preparatory process is that taking a smear for analysis is most effective at an earlier time, because overnight large amounts of mucus are formed, in which there is a huge concentration of microorganisms. It is best to take an analysis for whooping cough before breakfast and do not brush your teeth. Otherwise, a large proportion of sputum will be lost.

Analysis of pertussis

The analysis is carried out together with the results of the establishment of antibodies of other classes (IgM, IgA)

Bordetella pertussis (bacterium Borde-Gangu)
IgG	IgM	IgA	Explanation of results
Negative	Negative	Negative	Exciter is absent
Negatively or positively	Negative	Negatively or positively	Speaks of the presence of infection
Negatively or positively	Negative	Positively	Says about the presence of a recent infection
Positively	Negative	Negative	Tells about a recent or past infection, or about an earlier immunization

Where it is possible to hand over the analysis on whooping cough?

Where can I test for whooping cough? This kind of research is carried out in clinical laboratories and diagnostic centers. Usually they exist at the place of residence. The necessary research and the place of its conduct is determined by the doctor.

The type of analyzes for whooping cough is determined based on the symptoms, the course of the disease and the age categories of patients.

Blood on whooping cough doctors ask to pass in the first place, since this type of analysis carries a lot of information.

Possible complications

To special it is possible to carry:

• Pulmonary emphysema;
• Emphysema of the mediastinum and subcutaneous cells;
• Atelectasis;
• Pertussis pneumonia;
• Interruptions in the respiratory frequency (respiratory arrest - apnea up to 30 seconds, stopping - apnea over 30 seconds);
• Deterioration of blood flow in the brain;
• Hemorrhage (from the nose, posterior pharynx, bronchi, external auditory canal, into the skin and mucous membranes, sclera and retina of the eyes, brain and spinal cord);
• The onset of umbilical or inguinal hernia;
• Prolapse of the rectal mucosa;
• Damage to the tympanic membrane and diaphragm.

The simple most common complications arising from the accumulation of a secondary bacterial flora are:

• pneumonia;
• bronchitis;
• angina;
• Lymphadenitis;
• otitis.

Treatment of pertussis

The treatment process is carried out only permanently. Newborn children try to place in a quiet little room to minimize irritation factors, as they can provoke an exacerbation in the form of a coughing fit. Older children with simple forms of the disease, bed rest is not necessary.

Particular attention is paid to nutrition, feeding often in small portions. Newborn children need to pump out phlegm in time. For older children, the oxygen method of treatment is widely practiced.

Antibiotics are used for children at an early age with various severe forms of the disease. At the catarral stage, the use of "Erythromycin" is preferred.

Often used a specific gamma globulin from whooping cough, administered intramuscularly to 3 ml every day for 3 days.

Rarely used sedatives from cough, they are treated with extreme caution, since the effectiveness of such drugs is considered doubtful. It is necessary not to allow the use of such means as mustards and cans that can provoke coughing attacks.

Pertussis vaccination

The vaccination schedule is established by the state vaccination calendar. Activation of immunity from pertussis with DTP ("Tetrakok", "Infarriks") - is carried out at 3, 4 and 5 months. After that, a second vaccination against pertussis is carried out at 18 months.

DTP injection is performed in the muscle, children under the age of 1.5 years are placed in the anterior external part of the thigh, and children older than this age are in the deltoid muscle. Following the introduction of such drugs, more often, because of injections of whole-cell vaccines, during the first 3 days, the child may develop a protective reaction to the vaccine, both local and general. In 8-9 cases out of 10 such a process can be observed after several hours after the injection. Such reactions are considered a normal natural manifestation, and are not considered complications.

Preventive and therapeutic measures

Those who suffer from whooping cough should be insulated for 25 days from the moment of infection, while treatment should be rational and directed strictly at eliminating the causes of the disease.

Both the vaccinated and non-vaccinated contact children are given a quarantine period of 2 weeks from the beginning of isolation of the patient. The time of visiting children is strictly limited, the schedule of classes and walks vary.

To identify whooping cough at an early stage, in the pertussis zone, daily medical examinations of children and adults and a one-time bacterial examination are performed.

How to avoid such a disease as whooping cough? Immunity should be strong, you need to constantly strengthen it, then you can avoid many diseases, not only whooping cough. And of course, do not forget about vaccination.

In order to find and eliminate the place of the pertussis, all children and adults are advised to take "Erythromycin", "Rulida" or "Sumamed" for one week at the correct age.

Contact newborn children under 1 year and not vaccinated (up to 2 years), it is proposed to inject donor immunoglobulin - 2-4 doses (1-2 doses every other day).