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Whooping cough in adults
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
|September 12, 1981
Summary
Whooping cough (pertussis) re-emerged in Sweden during the 1970s, affecting all ages. Adults with pertussis experienced prolonged illness with rare complications, highlighting their role in infant transmission.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Whooping cough (pertussis) experienced a resurgence in Sweden during the 1970s after a decade-long absence.
- The disease began affecting individuals across all age demographics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize cases of culture-verified whooping cough in adults.
- To understand the clinical presentation, duration, and complications of pertussis in adults.
- To assess the implications of adult pertussis cases for public health, particularly regarding infant transmission.
Main Methods:
- A three-year surveillance study was conducted in Gothenburg.
- Culture-verified cases of whooping cough in adults were identified and analyzed.
Main Results:
- 174 adult cases of culture-verified whooping cough were identified over a three-year period.
- The majority of adult patients presented with classic symptoms, including characteristic whooping cough attacks and frequent vomiting.
- While the illness was often prolonged, severe complications were infrequent in this adult cohort.
Conclusions:
- Physicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for whooping cough in adults, as they represent a significant reservoir for transmission to vulnerable infants.
- Early antibiotic treatment with erythromycin during the catarrhal phase may alter the clinical course of pertussis in adults.