The following symptoms and complaints may indicate pertussis (whooping cough):
Symptoms in the catarrhal stage (initial stage with a cold-like cough; usually lasts 1-2 weeks).
- Cough
- Common cold
- General weakness in performance
- Mild fever (rather rare)
Symptoms in the convulsivum stage (bouts of coughing (staccato cough); usually lasts 4-6 weeks).
- Coughing fits that occur intermittently, clustered at night; are often accompanied by regurgitation of mucus
- May also occur simply as a prolonged cough
Symptoms of stage decrementi (about 6-10 weeks).
- Gradual subsiding of the symptoms of stage convulsivum.
Other indications
- Any persistent cough (no resolution after 7-14 days), which often occurs in attacks and at night, should be thought of pertussis!
- After the coughing attacks may be inspiratory stridor (breathing sound when inhaling) or vomiting.
- Apneas (cessations of breathing) may occur in infants.
- In adulthood often shows an atypical mild course with nonspecific dry cough. In the stage catarrhale, the distinction from a cold is often difficult. After one to two weeks (stage convulsivum), the typical attack-like barking cough occurs, which can last four weeks or longer.
Diagnosis-leading symptoms in pertussis (whooping cough) in children and adults; recommendations of the CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report.
Children | Adults |
Age group 0-18 years; vomiting after cough attack:sensitivity 60.0%; specificity 66%. | Cough attacks and absence of fever:sensitivity (93.2% and 81.8%, respectively); specificity (20.6% and 18.8%, respectively) |
Recommendations | Recommendations |
|
|