Whooping Cough (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Whooping Cough Overview
- Whooping Cough Causes
- Whooping Cough Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Whooping Cough Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Whooping Cough (Pertussis) - Describe Your Experience
Outlook
Complications of whooping cough are most commonly seen in children younger than 1 year, with an increased risk of severe whooping cough in premature infants.
- Between 1999-2003, 17,000 cases of whooping cough in children under two years of age required hospitalization.
- Among all pertussis hospitalizations during 1994-2003 in children under age 2 years, 92% occurred in infants under 6 months of age.
- In 2001-2003, 16% of whooping cough cases in children and adults required hospitalization.
- From 2004-2005, 66 deaths due to whooping cough were reported to the CDC.
- Bacterial pneumonia is the most common complication of whooping cough. It is also the most common cause of pertussis-related deaths. Between the years 2001-2003, 4.9% of all people with whooping cough developed a bacterial pneumonia—17% were infants younger than 6 months.
- Other complications include bluish skin from lack of oxygen, collapse of a lung, sinusitis, otitis media (ear infection), dehydration, nosebleed, bruising, hernias, retinal detachment, rectal prolapse, seizures, diseases of the brain, and failure to thrive.
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Whooping Cough (Pertussis) - Describe Your Experience
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Pertussis »
Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a respiratory tract infection characterized by a paroxysmal cough.
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