EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WHOOPING COUGH AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS TO ITS EVOLUTION IN UNDER ONE-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, IN THE CITY OF CORDOBA, ARGENTINA

Abstract

Whooping cough is a respiratory disease of high impact in children’s health. Objective: To describe epidemiological pattern, risk factors associated with occurrence and evolution in children <1 year, seen at Municipal Children›s Hospital of the City of Cordoba (20072010). Methodology: observational, correlational, descriptive study; patients <1 year old with diagnosis of pertussis confirmed by lab study (n = 60). Results: median age: 2 months old, 95% were <6 months old, 66.6% required hospitalization (probability of hospitalization was 8 times higher for those <2 months old). Seventy-two point five per cent acquired the disease in a family environment, 53% of the children presented a complete vaccination card. Fifteen percent had low birth weight, 27.5% were premature and 40% had teenage mothers. All patients presented cough, 80% cold symptoms, 75% paroxysmal cough, 78.3% cyanosis and 23.3% apnea. High leukocytosis in 20%. Severity was associated with seasonality, leukocytosis and cold symptoms. Conclusions: Universal vaccination coverage is the basis for prevention.