Recently, the weather has been changeable
Let people accidentally "hit"
It is the spring when there is a high incidence of respiratory infections
There should be quite a few people lately
Always cough cough cough non-stop, right?
Cough at night at a fixed point
I can't stop coughing
"Dr. Zhu, my family is fine during the day, and at night it is like setting an alarm clock and coughing at a fixed point. Every time I listen to her cough, I don't seem to have phlegm, but I can't stop coughing. What kind of strange illness is there?" In the clinic of Zhu Yafei, director of the pediatric department of a hospital in Hangzhou, Chenchen's mother was anxiously explaining to the doctor the recent symptoms of her 7-year-old daughter Chenchen.
Director Zhu listened
The professional radar sounded immediately
Then he asked:
"So do any people in the family have coughs and are sick?
The sound of Chenchen's cough
Is there any strange echo like a rooster's crow?"
When Chenchen's mother heard this, she immediately replied: "Yes, Yes, Dr. Zhu, the sound of the child's cough is indeed different from the previous cough when he was sick." Our whole family is coughing, and when I go back to work for the Chinese New Year, I feel that my colleagues in the office are also coughing!"
According to the examination and physical examination, Director Zhu Yafei considered that Chenchen might have a special infectious disease - "whooping cough". After that, she took nucleic acid samples of Bordetella pertussis on Chenchen and told Chenchen's mother that she could check the corresponding results the next day. Sure enough, the next day, the Chenchen nucleic acid results suggested that Bordetella pertussis was "yang"!
According to the "Overview of the National Epidemic Situation of Notifiable Infectious Diseases in January 2024" and the "Overview of the National Epidemic Situation of Notifiable Infectious Diseases in February 2024" released by the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, in January 2024 (from 0:00 on January 1 to 24:00 on January 31), the whole country (excluding Hong Kong, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Region, the same below) reported a total of 3427657 cases of notifiable infectious diseases and 2,198 deaths, and in February 2024 (from 00:00 on February 1 to 24:00 on February 29), a total of 1594723 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported nationwide, with 1,674 deaths.
Among them, 15,245 cases of whooping cough were reported in January, including 5 deaths, and 17,105 cases of whooping cough were reported in February, including 8 deaths.
In the same period last year, that is, in January 2023 (from 0:00 on January 1, 2023 to 24:00 on January 31, 2023), a total of 249324 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported across the country, and 2,158 people died. Among them, 883 cases of pertussis were reported, and in February 2023 (from 0:00 on February 1, 2023 to 24:00 on February 28, 2023), a total of 624685 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported nationwide, and 2,329 people died. Of these, 538 cases of whooping cough were reported.
What are the dangers of whooping cough?
And precautions?
Let's find out together——
What is whooping cough?
Pertussis is a highly contagious severe acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection, due to the long course of the disease, the cough cycle can be as long as 2~3 months, so the name is pertussis, belongs to the class B notifiable infectious disease. The typical symptoms of whooping cough are mostly paroxysmal and spastic coughs, and the cough is accompanied by a chicken-like inhalation sound when the cough ends.
History of Pertussis Epidemics
Infection
Patients are the only source of infection of this disease, from 1-2 days before the onset of the disease to within 6 weeks of the course of the disease, they are infectious, and the most contagious is within 2~3 weeks at the beginning of the disease.
Route of infection
It is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets, but it can also be transmitted through close contact.
Susceptible population
The population is generally susceptible to whooping cough, but the incidence is highest in young children, especially in infants under 6 months of age. Therefore, group onset and cluster illness in school-age children and family members are more common.
Pertussis precautions
Control the source of infection
Pertussis is contagious for 6 weeks after the onset of the disease, and is most contagious within 3 weeks of the onset of the disease. At present, most sources of infection are family members, who are often misdiagnosed due to atypical symptoms. Adolescents and adults usually have milder symptoms and can pass the disease to infants and young children if left untreated. If there is a long-term cough in a family member, a pertussis nucleic acid test should be carried out in time.
Cut off the route of transmission
Open the windows regularly every day to keep the air circulating, away from smoke and dust that may cause coughing, and wash and dry the patient's clothes and belongings. It can also be killed by using regular disinfectants and ultraviolet radiation, wash your hands frequently, and wear a mask when you go out.
Protect vulnerable populations
Immunization against pertussis. Usually 5~6 years after vaccination, it induces a decrease in immunity. After twelve years, the antibodies are almost gone. Susceptible people in the event of an epidemic still require booster vaccination.
Recurrent, violent coughing
Don't carry it hard!
Why remind everyone
Recurrent, violent coughing
Do you have to carry it?
Because
Recently, a 30-year-old man in Shenzhen
I even coughed up and broke two ribs!
Mr. Nie, a 30-year-old from Shenzhen, had a cough that lasted for a month after a flu bout.
"At first, it was just a cough, and I thought that my body would repair itself after a while, but I didn't expect it to get worse the more it dragged on. Every time I coughed, my chest hurt so much that I felt like I had been hit with a hammer. Mr. Nie recalled.
The doctor noticed that under normal conditions, Mr. Nie only had a slight pain in his chest, but the pain would be significantly worse when he coughed or pressed. After further CT examination, Mr. Nie found that the fifth and sixth ribs on the right side were fractured.
The doctor explained that a rib fracture, unlike other fractures, does not bear weight, so it is usually not painful at rest. However, pain can occur when the ribs are pressed or when the ribs are moved greatly, such as coughing or taking deep breaths.
"Coughing up broken ribs is more common in older patients with osteoporosis. A young, normal-shaped, well-balanced patient like Mr. Nie is a rare case, possibly due to fatigue fractures caused by repeated stretching of the rib cage due to a cough that lasts for too long. The doctor said.
The doctor reminded that repeated and severe coughing will affect rest and life, and even cause complications such as bronchial mucosal rupture, pneumothorax, and rib fractures.
In addition, coughing is both a "strength job" and a "technical job". Mastering the correct way of coughing can help the discharge of secretions and sputum from the distal airway, and can also avoid coughing too violently and causing fractures, pneumothorax, etc.:
1. Choose a sitting position, put your feet on the ground, lean forward slightly, take several slow deep breaths, then take a deep breath, and then quickly open your mouth to make 2~3 short and powerful coughs. When coughing, press on the upper abdomen with your own hand to help cough;
2. When coughing, you can hold your hands in front of your chest or wrap yourself around a pillow, which can slow down the stretching of the pectoralis muscles;
3. For people who have difficulty coughing up phlegm, such as the elderly and frail patients, they can be patted on the back with the assistance of others when coughing, that is, they can gradually pat the back from the periphery to the center with a hollow palm to promote better coughing up of phlegm.
Source: Guangzhou Daily, Quanzhou Evening News