Experts recommend isolating yourself during treatment

Every three to five years, there is an “epidemic wave” of whooping cough, Teresa Cenarro points out. Vice President of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPAP). This is what we are seeing now in Spain. Serious cases of illness in infants are a thing of the past thanks to the vaccination of pregnant women. In Spain, the Public Health Commission of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) approved a recommendation for vaccination against pertussis during pregnancy in June 2015.

“Now Children are born protected, but over time the protection weakens., both acquired as a result of vaccination and those arising in the body as a result of a previous disease. The key point is that unless the person is vulnerable due to immune problems, The disease is usually not serious.– the expert points out.

The combination of short-term vaccine protection and epidemic disease cycles means that both Spain and a number of neighboring countries are seeing an increase in cases despite high vaccination coverage.

Whooping cough, he explains, causes prolonged cough (can persist for several weeks), at fsevere coughing attacks that are very irritating, even to the point of vomiting. The physician may clinically suspect whooping cough due to persistent cough. Diagnosed using PCR.

AEPAP’s vice president recommends seeing a doctor if you have a persistent or severe cough.

Treatment consists of antibiotics after diagnosis and five-day isolation for the duration of treatment, both for the patient and the people living with him. The bacteria causing the disease are sensitive to the antibiotic of choice, he adds.

Very contagious

choking cough It responds to antibiotics because it is caused by the highly contagious bacteria Bordetella pertussis.

It can affect people of any age and it Symptoms often last 6 to 10 weeks.

People with whooping cough They can be contagious, especially at the onset of symptoms and for up to 2 weeks after the cough phase begins (approximately 21 days).but with adequate antibiotic treatment, a person is contagious for 5 days after treatment begins.

During an outbreak of whooping cough Children under 7 years of age who have not been vaccinated should not attend school or crowded places. They should also be isolated from people who may be infected. Experts recommend maintaining these measures for 14 days after the last reported case.