More than 60 times larger than last year, '100 Day', symptoms and treatment?
Sep 02, 2024
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In Korea, small trends have been repeated every two to three years, but this year, the number of infections has increased rapidly, more than 60 times higher than last year, and it is spreading nationwide. Currently, the trend tends to spread in advanced countries abroad. Children and adolescents between the ages of 7 and 19 account for more than 90% of all patients, and the incidence of high-risk groups under the age of 1 who are prone to severe illness is small due to the high vaccination rate.
pertussis is mainly transmitted to respiratory droplets that have spread into the air through coughing or sneezing by an infected person.
It can also be transmitted through contact with respiratory secretions such as runny nose or phlegm of an infected person. If one of the family members living in the same house gets whooping cough, 70% to 100% of those who are not immune can be infected.
Lee Yong-dae, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Seonam Hospital in Seoul, said "Just because you have experienced the disease or have been vaccinated doesn't mean you have immunity for life, and you can be infected again.", he explained.
The incubation period for pertussis is 5-21 days (usually 7-10 days), and diagnosis is made through genetic tests or culture tests using clinical features and respiratory specimens.
In the early stages of the clinical course, cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and mild cough appear for one to two weeks, and this is the most contagious period. After that, paroxysmal cough persists for 1 to 6 weeks, and symptoms such as '?(whoop)' sound, vomiting after coughing, and apnea appear. After that, the recovery progresses slowly and the cough can last for weeks. Recently confirmed patients often have no clear clinical symptoms and only mild cough.
Complications are mainly serious in infants and toddlers, and complications caused by pneumonia, convulsions, encephalopathy, otitis media, and cough itself can occur, and although it has not been reported in Korea yet, complications can lead to death, so care should be taken.
Symptoms can be alleviated during initial antibiotic treatment, and treatment is performed to suppress secondary transmission.
Among those who have come into contact with whooping cough patients, those who live together, are at high risk (infants under 12 months of age, immunocompromised, chronic lung disease), or who can spread to high-risk groups should receive preventive antibiotics regardless of vaccination history, and carefully examine whether symptoms of whooping cough develop up to three weeks after the last contact.
The whooping cough vaccination covers all adults and is particularly recommended for infants under 12 months of age, close contacts (family, infant helpers, medical personnel, etc.), child care facility workers, women of childbearing age, and pregnant women. Although vaccination schedules may vary depending on age and vaccination history, it is important for infants under the age of 1 to receive three basic vaccinations in a timely manner.
Manager Lee Yong-dae said, "If you get sick, you must stop going to school and attend school during the transmission period to block transmission and quarantine."Patients with white blood will be isolated from droplets, and they will be isolated for up to five days after starting antibiotic administration, and if they have not been treated, they will be isolated for at least three weeks after the onset of paroxysmal cough" he said.
Vaccination is the most important thing for the prevention of whooping cough. Adult patients with asymptomatic or mild pertussis can cause infection in infants and toddlers undiagnosed. Subjects should be inoculated as soon as possible in time for inoculation. The room should be ventilated frequently, followed by proper hand washing and cough etiquette. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap for at least 30 seconds after going out, before eating, and after using the bathroom, cover your mouth and nose with tissues or sleeves when coughing, and wear a mask when you have respiratory symptoms.
If the cough persists for more than two weeks and is accompanied by paroxysmal cough, inhaling after coughing, '(whoop)', or vomiting after coughing, or symptoms similar to cough or cold appear after contact with a pertussis patient, the possibility of pertussis is high, so you should visit a medical institution quickly.
Director Lee Yong-dae said, `One hundred days' disease is a disease in which prevention and prompt response are important. It is necessary to strengthen immunity through vaccination and reduce infection through proper lifestyle.
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bellho@sportschosun.com
