Whooping cough
The target audience
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Pregnant women should be vaccinated during each pregnancy, ideally between the 26th and 32nd week of pregnancy. The vaccine can be given until the end of pregnancy if it has not been administered before the 33rd week. The disease is more serious in babies under 12 months of age, which is why it is now recommended to protect babies before birth by vaccinating their mothers.
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An adult who has not received a pertussis vaccine since the age of 10.
Symptoms
- Slight fever
- Runny nose
- Redness of the eyes accompanied by tearing
- Cough that becomes stronger and more frequent after 7 to 14 days
- Vomiting possible with respiratory arrest for a few moments
The illness lasts 6 to 10 weeks or longer for teenagers.
Complications
Please be aware that babies under 12 months of age are at greater risk of complications, that the majority of infected children under six (6) months of age are hospitalized, and that children under three (3) months of age are affected by the most serious complications.
- Otitis
- Pneumonia
- Seizures
- Fractured ribs
- Hernias
- Brain damage and death (more rare)
Transmission
Transmission occurs through droplets from the nose and throat of infected individuals.
Whooping cough spreads easily among family members or among children who attend the same daycare or school.
Prevention
- Vaccination
Avoid contact with anyone who has whooping cough until they have completed their course of treatment, especially young children and women in late pregnancy.
The vaccination schedule
| Clientele | Number of doses | Recommended interval | Call back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pregnant woman between the 26th and 32nd week of pregnancy | One (1) dose | A booster dose should not be given to pregnant women who received it before the 26th week of pregnancy. | With every pregnancy |
| Adults who have not received this vaccine since the age of 10 | One (1) dose | N/A | No recall |