Will there be shadows in the lungs after recovery from whooping cough?

Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
Updated on April 03, 2025
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Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection, commonly seen in children, with children under five years old being the most susceptible. The main clinical symptoms include paroxysmal spasmodic coughing and a crowing, inspiratory whoop, with the cough being more pronounced at night. The symptoms of whooping cough are severe, but the physical signs are mild. During lung auscultation, no dry or moist rales can generally be heard, and imaging examinations are also normal. However, whooping cough may be complicated by bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis, and other complications, in which case lung X-rays may show shadows, but these shadows will disappear after recovery from the treatment.

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Is whooping cough easy to treat?

Whooping cough is treatable. This disease is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection common in children. Its main characteristics are paroxysmal, spasmodic coughing. Some children may also have a bark-like cough and a crowing sound during inhalation. It is important to correctly identify and check the pathogen, which could be due to infection by the diphtheria bacillus or the whooping cough bacillus. Typically, it can be treated with intravenous macrolide antibiotics or penicillin antibiotics to eliminate the pathogen, along with symptomatic treatment.

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The difference between pertussis and allergic cough

Pertussis (whooping cough) and allergic cough are different. Firstly, pertussis is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. Its symptoms include paroxysmal and frequent coughing, sometimes accompanied by a deep, crowing, inspiratory whoop sound. If not treated promptly, the condition can last for several months, which is why it is called whooping cough. Due to its high contagiosity and epidemic history, if infants contract pertussis, their condition can worsen, making them prone to complications like severe pneumonia or heart failure. However, allergic cough is a non-infectious condition primarily caused by hypersensitivity of the airways, easily triggered by various external allergens, leading to irritating dry coughs, but not worsening to lower respiratory tract infections. In daily life, by avoiding environmental allergens and using treatments such as nebulization and oral antiallergic medications, management is possible.

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Is whooping cough very harmful?

Pertussis belongs to infectious diseases and certainly poses some risk to health, with the degree of harm varying greatly from person to person. Typical symptoms include paroxysmal, barking coughs, fever, and runny nose. Some may also exhibit cyanosis (bluish hue to lips) and signs of hypoxia. Coughing can also lead to runny nose, teary eyes, and even convulsions, nausea, and vomiting. Some patients may present with an inspiratory crowing sound. Treatment involves anti-inflammatory measures based on the number of infectious pathogens and specific symptoms, and isolation precautions should be taken to prevent the infection from spreading to other children.

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Does whooping cough cause a runny nose?

In the early stages of whooping cough, also known as the incubation period, symptoms similar to those of a cold can occur, including runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and an irritating dry cough. If the disease progresses for two to four weeks, it typically presents with episodes of spasmodic, convulsive coughing, characterized by a notable change in the sound of the cough. Some children might exhibit a bark-like cough or a crowing-like cough. Accompanying symptoms can include redness of the face and ears, tearing, more runny nose, as well as signs of oxygen deprivation such as nausea, vomiting, and cyanosis of the lips. It is advisable to further conduct pathogen culture to confirm the diagnosis and initiate timely treatment.

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What are the symptoms of whooping cough?

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, typically manifests as paroxysmal coughing. During the acute phase, the cough is spasmodic, and some patients may produce sounds similar to a dog's bark or a rooster's crow. This type of cough can lead to complications such as a runny nose, tearing, facial flushing, red ears, and vomiting. Diagnosis should be confirmed through routine examination of secretions. During the acute phase, symptomatic treatment should be administered, along with the selection of macrolide antibiotics to eliminate the pathogenic bacteria, which are mostly due to infection by Corynebacterium diphtheriae or Bordetella pertussis. Patients should adjust their mindset, drink plenty of warm water, and maintain clean indoor air.