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Whooping cough or pertussis is a bacterial infection caused by a bacterium called bordetella pertissis or B. It is a highly contagious disease and major cause of death of infants under one year of age.

Let's see few symptoms and sounds to recognize if it is pertussis:

1. Mild fever in the first week.

2. Runny nose in the early stage.

3. Choking cough for a minute or two after 2 weeks.

4. Vomiting

5. Suffocation

6. Difficulty in breathing

7. May get faint

8. Less choking attacks as a later symptom

9. Watery eyes

10. Ear Infection or

11. Diarrhea

CURE:

In most of the cases, no other treatment makes the difference. Only antibiotic seems to work. Let's see few treatments that are available:

1. The antibiotic called Eythromycin seems to work only if it is given in the early stage of pertussis. Erythromycin will kill the bacteria and helps to make it non-contagious.

2. Analgesic treatment can also be given to relieve the pain that occurs.

3. Lots of fluids or water should be given that helps in loosening the mucus and make the cough easier.

Prevention:

DPT or DTaP Vaccine is given to the children to prevent Diptheria, Pertussis and Tetanus. It has a capacity to kill bordetella pertissis or B bacterium.

By the means of immunization only pertussis can be prevented. 80-95% of protection is quoted by the vaccine manufacturers.

So, it is very important for the parents to have full knowledge about whooping cough as it is a very dangerous disease that can cause death.

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