CNN
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Cases of whooping cough continue to rise in the United States, with new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing five times as many cases this year as at this time last year.
The number of infections stood at 18,506 in the week ending October 12, according to data updated on Thursday. During the same period last year, 3,382 cases were reported.
Whooping cough, also known as whooping cough, is a common respiratory disease in the United States. Its symptoms can be difficult to identify because they are very similar to those of other respiratory bacteria and viruses that often co-occur with whooping cough.
Infection begins with symptoms such as a runny nose, low-grade fever, and a ticklish cough. After 1-2 weeks, a new phase begins, with a severe generalized cough.
These coughing attacks can be severe enough to cause patients to vomit or break ribs, and are often accompanied by whistling sounds as they try to catch their breath.
Antibiotics can treat the infection, but only if it occurs within the first few weeks before the tiring and painful cough develops. In that case, the only treatment is comfort care with plenty of rest and hydration until the infection resolves.
Whooping cough can cause severe symptoms in people of all ages, but children under 1 year old are especially susceptible because their immune systems are still developing. This is especially true for infants and young children who have not received all recommended vaccines.
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Some babies may have difficulty breathing without coughing. Infants who are not fully vaccinated are more likely to develop serious complications such as pneumonia and, rarely, encephalopathy.
Whooping cough is spread by airborne bacteria. Infection is most commonly spread in schools, childcare centers, and hospitals.
Most people can become infected within two weeks after coughing. This is the number of children who become infected from older siblings, parents, or other caregivers who do not know they are infected.
The best way to prevent or minimize whooping cough symptoms is to get yourself and your children vaccinated. The CDC recommends the DTaP vaccine for children and the TDaP vaccine for adolescents and adults.
