The instances of the bacterial disease, pertussis, commonly referred to as whooping cough, are increasing both in Ireland and globally. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 77 reported instances, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Comparatively, there were only 18 incidents reported throughout the whole of 2023.
What constitutes whooping cough?
Pertussis is an extremely communicable illness interfering with the lungs and respiratory tract. There is a particularly high risk of severe outcomes for unvaccinated or only partially immunised infants who are younger than six months old.
What signs should you look for?
According to Dr Scott Walkin, a general practitioner based in Mayo, who is also the clinical leader for antimicrobial resistance and infection control for the Irish College of General Practitioner/HSE, the initial symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a common cold. These symptoms can include a runny nose, red and puffy eyes, a heightened temperature and a sore throat.
He further explains that within a span of one to two weeks, the cough intensifies dramatically, deriving its name ‘whooping cough’ from the peculiar sound it produces when a person coughs repeatedly and inhales abruptly, thereby creating a ‘whoop’ like noise.
Dr Walkin further added, the severe cough may produce copious amounts of thick mucus and can sometimes lead to vomiting.
Is this illness specifically hard on babies?
Yes. In infants, the cough’s severity may not be immediately noticeable, but they may have temporary moments where they stop breathing altogether. The HSE emphasises the urgency of seeking medical help should your child younger than 12 months exhibit symptoms. Dr Walkin said, “Younger babies, particularly those under six months, are at greatest risk.”
Should parents seek medical help promptly if they suspect their child has whooping cough?
Per Dr Walkin’s advice, antibiotics offer limited help in managing the symptoms of whooping cough, despite which immediate medical attention is paramount.
Under the guidelines issued by the Health and Social Care (HSE), parents are advised to seek immediate medical attention through their general practitioner (GP) if their child, who is under one year old, has a persistent cough that seems to be worsening and has lasted over three weeks. Additionally, they should rush their child to the nearest A&E department if the child displays signs of severe breathing difficulties like choking, breathlessness or sudden halt of breath; changes colour to blue or dark on their lips or skin; suffers from a fit or seizure; or experiences chest pain, which could point towards pneumonia.
In terms of treatment options, as mentioned by Dr Walkin, they are rather limited. However, he suggested ensuring those infected remain at home as much as possible, except when medical assistance is clearly needed since the disease is extremely contagious. Dr Walkin also recommended using Calpol or Nurofen (paracetamol or ibuprofen) to treat aches, fever, or ear pain in children or people suffering from whooping cough. However, he warned that cough syrup has not proven very effective in relieving symptoms in children aged six and under.
With regard to immunisation against whooping cough, Dr Walkin mentioned that its prevention is primarily focused on timely vaccination. The schedule includes vaccine doses at two, four, and six months of age, followed by booster doses in the junior infants stage and in the first year of secondary school. It is essential that these immunisations are administered as per the schedule. However, newborns under two months are ineligible for the vaccine despite their vulnerability to the disease. To protect these vulnerable babies, expectant mothers are encouraged to get vaccinated during their pregnancy enabling their body to generate antibodies that can be passed onto the baby through the placenta. It is important this is done for each pregnancy.
Concerning the possible fatality rate of whooping cough, data released by the UK Health Security Agency showed that there have been five infant deaths associated with whooping cough in the first quarter of the year in the UK. Regardless, Dr Walkin clarified that such an outcome is “exceptionally uncommon”. He concluded that despite a rise in the number of pertussis cases in Ireland, the overall count is fairly low.