Research Article
Epidemiological Characteristics and Clinical Manifestations of Whooping Cough in Bulgaria: A Report on 33 Patients
Pekova L, P. Parousheva, V. Tzoneva
and T. Perchemlieva
Correspondence Address :
Liliya Pekova
Department of
Infectious Diseases
Medical Faculty
Trakia University
11 Armeyska Str. 6000 Stara Zagora
Bulgaria
Tel: +
359 899946450
Email: pe_kova@abv.bg
Received on: August 30, 2017, Accepted on: September 07, 2017, Published on: September 15, 2017
Citation: Liliya Pekova, P. Parousheva, V. Tzoneva, T. Perchemlieva (2017). Epidemiological Characteristics and Clinical Manifestations of Whooping Cough in Bulgaria: A Report on 33 Patients
Copyright: 2017 Liliya Pekova, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Introduction: Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable airborne bacterial infection which affected patients of all ages. Among babies the incidence of hospitalization exceeded compare to all other age groups. Pertussis is manifested with distinctive coughing paroxysms. The aim of this study is to show the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of whooping cough during an epidemic outbreak in Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria and to clear up its origin.
Materials & Methods: During the period of 20th August 2016 to 28th September 2016, thirty-three children with whooping cough were passed through the Department of Infectious Diseases, Stara Zagora University Hospital, Bulgaria. They were aged between 2 months and 19 years. An even distribution by sex was demonstrated. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical, laboratory, serological and molecular-genetic investigations. A careful epidemiologic study was done at the epidemic outbreak.
Results: A typical clinical manifestation was demonstrated in all patients. We observed a mild clinical form in 15, moderate - in 12 and severe in 6. A typical "visiting card" of the disease - leukocytosis plus lymphocytosis - was established in 27 patients. Seven patients had pulmonary complications. More of our patients were partially immunized or not immunized. All of them belonged to Roma society and lived in poor housing conditions.
Conclusion: Whooping cough is a disease which usually has a benign course and favorable outcome. Recently we have seen a strange, but widespread course against immunizations. The lack of adequate specific prevention could lead not only to whooping cough, but could result in many serious and life-threatening diseases and epidemic outbreaks.
Keywords: Whooping cough, Clinical features, Vaccine