Pertussis history and symptoms
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Serge Korjian M.D.; Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [2]; Yazan Daaboul, M.D.
|
Pertussis Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Pertussis history and symptoms On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Pertussis history and symptoms |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Pertussis history and symptoms |
Overview
pertussis is characterized initially by symptoms such as cough, sneezing, and runny nose. After one to two weeks, the cough changes character, with paroxysms of violent coughing followed by an inspiratory "whooping" sound. These paroxysms can last for several months.
Symptoms
- The clinical course of the illness is divided into three stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal and convalescent.
- The symptoms vary among stages with the paroxysmal stage being the most severe.
- Pertussis is a prolonged illness that can last from a few weeks to several months.
The table below summarizes the key symptoms in each stage.[1]
| Stage | Key Symptoms |
| Catarrhal (4-21 days) |
|
| Paroxysmal (1-10 weeks) |
|
| Convalescent (4-21 days) |
|
References
- ↑ Pertussis Clinical Features. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/features.html. Accessed on January 14, 2016.