Prof. Iva Hristova: Whooping cough is a serious disease, the mortality rate reaches 4%

Whooping cough is a serious disease – the mortality rate reaches 2-4% and it is no accident that the vaccine is included in the mandatory immunization calendar. Prof. Iva Hristova, director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCCPD), said this in the program “This Morning”.

“The most risky group is the newborns – a month or two before their first immunization,” she explained, adding that the two newborn deaths in Kyustendil were probably due to delayed treatment.

Prof. Iva Hristova pointed out that prescribing an antibiotic initially suppresses the development of bacteria. “If the treatment is delayed, the expressed symptoms already show that these bacteria have started to release toxins,” she explained.

“Recognizing whooping cough – it starts as an acute respiratory illness. Runny nose, fever and mild cough are present. The symptoms, which are severe and lead to suffocation, develop in the following days and weeks,” explained Prof. Hristova.

According to her, the case in Kyustendil shows that there are many sources of infection that are asymptomatic or have atypical symptoms. She explained that the “tip of the iceberg” is being caught, and probably the spread of infection is much larger and is not recognized

“There is clearly a hidden morbidity as the source of infection cannot be detected. Sick people spread the bacteria already in the incubation period – even before the appearance of symptoms. If it is caught already in the first week, the treatment will give an effect and these coughing attacks will be missed. But if this period is missed and ten days pass, the non-vaccinated persons have severe attacks – convulsions and convulsions, which lead to the inability to take in air”, explained the expert.

“All laboratories are required to report whooping cough cases, so it doesn’t matter where the test is done. The clinical symptoms are not typical and it is best to do a test when there is a suspicion of whooping cough,” said Prof. Hristova.

Source: bTV