Silence the sound of pertussis

CEBU, Philippines - Don’t let pertussis harm your child.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis Group, advises parents/guardians to ask health providers about early protection against pertussis with the first 5-in-1 acellular pertussis combination vaccine tested among Filipino infants.

The sound of pertussis

“Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a potentially deadly bacterial infection that can strike at any age, but is particularly dangerous for babies. The sounds of pertussis are like no other, marked by a “whoop” made when gasping for breath after a severe coughing attack,” a campaign material read.

Why the sound of pertussis must be silenced

“Pertussis can be a serious illness, particularly for babies and young children,” Sanofi explains. “More than 50 percent of babies with reported cases of pertussis must be hospitalized. Coughing can be so severe that it is hard for babies to eat, drink or breathe.”

• Babies may bleed behind the eyes and in the brain from coughing.

• The most common complication is bacterial pneumonia. About one child in 10 with pertussis also gets pneumonia, and about one in every 50 will have convulsions.

• Brain damage occurs in one out of every 250 children who get pertussis.

How to silence the sound of pertussis

Early protection with Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine at two, three, four months vaccination schedule combined with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) will provide an immediate shield against five diseases particularly pertussis. Then, a booster vaccine at 18 months should be administered to complete the protection.

Protection against pertussis should not stop there as the immunity wanes from the primary series. The second booster dose of DTaP + IPV should be give at four-six years old.

Adolescent and adult get pertussis, too

While pertussis, or whooping cough, is widely known as a childhood disease, it also occurs in adults and adolescents.

When an adult has pertussis, the disease can resemble the common cold or bronchitis. As a result, many cases go undiagnosed, increasing the risk that someone – even you – could unknowingly expose your baby to pertussis, this was further learned.

Adolescent and adult immunization protects children from pertussis

One of the best ways to protect babies from pertussis is to make sure that anyone in close contact with them is vaccinated. Babies are most vulnerable before they can have their first vaccine against pertussis at two months of age. However, babies under six months are still very much at risk, and children are not fully protected until they have been vaccinated with the primary series.

The Philippine Pediatric Society, Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Philippine Foundation for Vaccination recommend immunization for all adolescents and adults 10-64 years of age because immunity from early childhood vaccination decreases over time and they can become infected with pertussis time and again.

Symptoms of pertussis

Symptoms of pertussis typically start seven to 10 days after exposure. While there are three stages of the disease, many adults and adolescents never experience the severe coughing associated with the second stage.

Adults and adolescents can spread pertussis to others, including babies, even if they only have mild symptoms. If a baby catches pertussis, it can lead to serious complications and even death.

Stage 1 (usually lasts 1-2 weeks)

When a person first contracts pertussis, symptoms can be very mild and may resemble a common cold or bronchitis. Most people do not even know they have pertussis and usually go undiagnosed. These mild symptoms can include: sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever; and mild, occasional coughing.

Stage 2 (usually lasts 1-6 weeks)

After one to two weeks, some develop a more serious version of pertussis, which can cause severe coughing episodes. The latter can cause vomiting, cracked ribs, and hernia.

Stage 3 (usually lasts 2-3 weeks)

In this stage, coughing spasms gradually decrease in intensity and usually disappear after two to three weeks.