Symptoms, signs, causes and treatment: what is whooping cough?
Whooping cough, medically called pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory system noted for its high rate of contagion and its chronic, dry, hacking cough. Its generic name is derived from the “whooping” sound sometimes produced when the infected individual inhales sharply through the trachea, which is inflamed and often narrowed. This symptom is only good for preliminary identification of the condition, and is not sufficient in itself for a diagnosis, but it may help one to determine whether the onset of a cold or flu-like condition is in fact more serious. There are two separate stages of the disease, the first of which is the least symptomatic and the most contagious, the second of which is mostly a side-effect of the recovery process. In the first stage, symptoms will be like that of a moderate to severe cold, including histamine reaction (sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose), mild fever and possible chest congestion. Discharge produced by coughing will typically b
