A peak of those infected with whooping cough at the end of May is predicted by the Acting Minister of Health. Galya Kondeva stated that at the moment there is no reason to declare an epidemic in the country.
Confirmed cases so far are about 400. In 11 districts there is still no proven pertussis. Free tests are currently being done only at the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases and the Metropolitan Health Inspectorate, and private laboratories are reporting a shortage of tests.
At the beginning of April, Dilyana’s 11-year-old son returned from an excursion with an atypical cough. The pediatrician examined him and prescribed therapy, but two days later there was no effect. During the re-examination, the doctor ordered a test for whooping cough, BNT reported.
“I was confident that after he was immobilized, even if he was, this would go more easily. My examination was about BGN 90, but I had no other choice, because for me it was important to rule it out or accept that it was this,” said Dilyana Hristova .
The test was positive. Even after quarantine and antibiotic therapy, the child continues to cough.
“Kind of like a rumble coming out of the trachea. It doesn’t get wet. It still hasn’t to this day. The frequency of these cough reflexes is extremely rare and I’m reassured that at some point in time they will completely subside and will stop suddenly”, added Dilyana Hristova.
Free whooping cough tests for children up to 5 years of age are currently only available at the Metropolitan Health Inspectorate and the Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases under certain conditions.
“It should be at the discretion of a doctor – an infectious disease specialist or at the hospital that the treating doctor goes through the RZI and the RZI brings us the samples,” added Viktoria Lefterova, head of the “Microbiology” department at the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.
“I haven’t tried this mechanism yet – personally, it seems quite cumbersome to me,” explained Dr. Denitsa Daskalova, a general practitioner.
There are about 200 free tests at the Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. So far, about 30 of them have been used. Doctors hope that, as with the COVID outbreak, they will be able to issue referrals for whooping cough tests.
Isolation and home treatment – what are the rules for whooping cough patients? “More questioning, there are indications. If it is up to 5 years old, unimmunized, if there is a clinical picture of whooping cough, then it will be sent,” commented Dr. Ginka Daskalova, a pediatrician from Ruse.
“When the patient comes to us, we should have the opportunity to send him to the nearest laboratory, where the test will be financed. And the most convenient mechanism for me is if the NHIF is involved,” said Dr. Denitsa Daskalova.
However, the health authorities do not foresee this happening at the moment.
“In many cases, if the doctor decides or doesn’t have enough data, and the parent still wants to test their child for peace of mind – private laboratories, as far as I know, work quite well. They can do the diagnosis for a fee,” he said. Dr. Galya Kondeva, Acting Minister of Health.
“In my opinion, the state should take over the tests. The price is BGN 100, I don’t know if people can afford it,” added Nayden Ivanov.
And private labs have difficulty supplying whooping cough tests.
“I hope they will be overcome within the next week. Most of the supplier companies have taken to heart the task of urgently providing tests,” said Dr. Nedyalko Kalachev. laboratory director.
The Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases explains that in order for the pertussis test result to be accurate, it is done in the morning without the patient having had breakfast or drinking water. / Source: Dnes.bg
