Whooping cough, “a serious illness for toddlers”: what you need to know

A record epidemic

We had never seen this . Professor Christèle Gras-Le Guen returns, to Ocean Presson the very intense whooping cough epidemic. The peak was reached in summer 2024 and this is now decreasing. The situation remains worrying because the whooping cough bacteria still circulates widely, with risks of contamination which persist. indicates the head of the pediatric department at Nantes University Hospital at the end of October.

Vigilance is especially important for toddlers. Vaccination against whooping cough does not begin until two months of life. We clearly saw during this epidemic that it is children under two months who suffer the most serious illnesses. Let’s not forget that we have still had around thirty deaths since the start of the year in France. ».

What symptoms?

The main symptom is cough. It doesn’t look like anything else. These are straights that can be asphyxiating. You turn blue and start breathing very loudly. It’s spectacular and very exhausting ».

“Ensure up-to-date vaccinations”

How to protect yourself? Who should be vaccinated first? Particular emphasis is placed on pregnant women. It is a disease that is serious for toddlers. It is important to ensure that vaccinations are up to date in older children and adults. But it is vaccination during the third trimester of the pregnant woman’s pregnancy which is very effective in limiting serious forms in toddlers. ».

To do this, health professionals must reassure faced with vaccine hesitancy which is more marked in France than in other countries in the world, and more particularly during pregnancy .

The head of pediatrics recalls: We must be able to reassure mothers by saying that this vaccination has no reported side effects. This protects them and the baby is born with natural antibodies.”

How many cases?

For this year 2024, at the Nantes University Hospital laboratory, more than 80 cases have already been diagnosed in adults and children. Added to this are all the cases diagnosed in city laboratories.
It is important to have up-to-date vaccinations for healthcare professionals and those who work with children “. An information campaign was notably carried out at the Nantes University Hospital to update vaccinations. The High Health Authority recommends it.

According to surveillance data from the Renacoq network (Hospital Whooping Cough Surveillance Network), since the last whooping cough peak in 2017-2018 (162 cases reported), the number of cases has continued to decrease to reach 34 cases. in 2020 and 4 cases in 2021 in infants under 12 months.

“Very exhausting” coughing fits

Whooping cough is not likely to cause death in adults, except in exceptional cases. This disease is nevertheless very debilitating for weeks. “ For six weeks, you cough day and night. That means six weeks without sleeping well. It’s not pleasant. This can end in vomiting ».

Older people must be very vigilant. “ Whooping cough can seriously affect older people. It is a dangerous disease for old age. ».

Did you know? “Immunity is not for life”

You can get whooping cough several times in your life. Immunity against whooping cough is not permanent. It is possible to contract whooping cough several times in your life. Indeed: the fact of having already had the disease provides immune protection which gradually weakens over time. For optimal protection, vaccination against whooping cough requires several boosters. indicates Health Insurance.

A very strong contagion

Whooping cough is very contagious and it is estimated that a sick person can contaminate on average 15 to 17 people within the family or community, recalls Health Insurance. We become infected through the air. Contagiousness lasts at least three weeks from the start of rhinitis.

The treatment

As soon as a case of whooping cough is diagnosed, an investigation is carried out to find the person who infected the patient and the people in direct contact with them. To limit the transmission of whooping cough bacteria, the patient is treated with antibiotics and is isolated for three to five days while the antibiotic treatment takes effect.
Antibiotics can also be administered to those around you.