6 Control Measures of Whooping Cough
6 Control Measures of Whooping Cough You must know-Whooping cough is an acute disease extremely dangerous especially during infancy or early childhood involving the tracheobronchial tract and the stomach. It is also called pertussis, and it is caused by an organism called Bordetella pertussis and the incubation period is between 7 TO 14 days but more than 8 weeks.
See Also; Measles: Its Host factors, symptoms and Prevention in Children
Mode of Transmission of Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
The mode of transmission is either by direct contact with patients or through droplet infection. Pertussis is most infectious in the early or catarrhal stage of the illness. The patient ejects droplets containing a large number of Bordetella Pertussis during each bout of coughing. There is a congestion of the respiratory tract, mainly in the bronchi and bronchioles, but nasopharynx, larynx, and trachea may equally be affected.
Midzonal and epithelium may undergo necrosis and macrophages in infiltration. In uncomplicated cases, there is no exudate in the alveoli. Tracheobronchial lymph nodes are swollen, secondary atelectasis and localized emphysematous area are commonly present. In fact, the organism liberates toxins which irritate surface cells and gives rise to marked lymphocytosis (excessive no of lymphocytes)
6 Control Measures of Whooping Cough
1. Early diagnosis, isolation, and treatment of cases, as well as disinfection of discharges from nose and throat, are the general principles for the control of this infection
2. Isolate the patient until he or she is considered non-infectious.
3. Infants and young children should be kept away from cases. Those known to have been in contact with the whooping cough patient, maybe given prophylactic antibiotic treatment for 10 days to prevent the infection.
4. The proper use of the vaccine is one most effective ways of preventing one from contracting whooping cough.
5. Good personal and environmental hygiene, to prevent contracting the infection
6. Health education of women of childbearing age and appropriate awareness of some best practices.
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