Pertussis history and symptoms
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [2]
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Overview
After a two day incubation period, pertussis in infants and young children is characterized initially by mild respiratory infection symptoms such as cough, sneezing, and runny nose (catarrhal stage). After one to two weeks, the cough changes character, with paroxysms of coughing followed by an inspiratory "whooping" sound (paroxysmal stage). Coughing fits may be followed by vomiting due to the sheer violence of the fit. In severe cases, the vomiting induced by coughing fits can lead to malnutrition. The fits that do occur on their own can also be triggered by yawning, stretching, laughing, or yelling. Coughing fits gradually diminish over one to two months during the convalescent stage.
Symptoms
The clinical course of the illness is divided into three stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal and convalescent.
Shown below is a table summarizing the main findings in each stage.[1]
| Stage | Duration | Key features |
| Catarrhal | Usually 7-10 days; range of 4-21 | - Low grade fever - Coryza - Mild occasional cough |
| Paroxysmal | Usually lasts 1-6 weeks, but may persist for up to 10 weeks | - Paroxysms of numerous, rapid coughs due to difficulty expelling thick mucus from the tracheobronchial tree. - Long aspiratory effort accompanied by a high-pitched "whoop" at the end of the paroxysms |
| Convalescent | Usually 7-10 days; range of 4-21 | - Less persistent, paroxysmal coughs that disappear in 2-3 weeks |