[News UP] Whooping cough/pneumonia respiratory disease epidemic... "Elementary school student patients surge"

■ Host: Cho Jin-hyuk Anchor
■ Video call: Choi Young-joon Professor of Pediatrics and Adolescents at Korea University Anam Hospital

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN News UP] when quoting.

[Anchor]
The first death occurred in Korea due to the global '100-year-old' epidemic. Children who are vulnerable to respiratory diseases should be especially careful. Let's hear from an expert on how to prevent it. With Choi Young-joon, a professor of pediatrics at Korea University Anam Hospital. Professor, are you out?

[Choi Youngjun]
Hello, I'm Choi Young-joon of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents at Korea University Anam Hospital

[Anchor]
How are you? The first death of whooping cough in Korea since statistics were compiled. He's an infant less than two months old, so how did you report his first death in Korea?

[Choi Youngjun]
Unfortunately, the first death from whooping cough occurred in Korea. Whooping cough can be fatal for infants, especially very young infants less than six months old. Therefore, this case seems to show that Korea should pay more attention to the prevention and management of pertussis infection.

[Anchor]
According to world statistics, most of the deaths occur in developing countries, so why do you think it occurred in Korea?

[Choi Youngjun]
The main cause of whooping cough death is in developing countries where the medical system is weak or vaccination is poor. This occurrence in Korea suggests that the effectiveness of existing vaccines does not last long enough. And especially after social distancing was lifted after COVID-19, various infectious diseases are rising again. I understand that whooping cough is coming back up as one of them.

In particular, whooping cough is dangerous for young infants, so I think inoculation for mothers is very important. [Anchor] It's understood that you have to be especially careful in a house with young children. By the way, it is known that the name was given because the cough did not stop for 100 days, but what exactly is it?

[Choi Youngjun]
As you said, the main symptom is a severe cough, just like the name of coughing for 100 days. In the early stages, symptoms similar to colds such as runny nose, sneezing, and fever can lead to a very severe cough and seizure cough, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Similar to COVID-19, you can spread it through droplets. In that case, it will be important to follow personal hygiene rules such as wearing a mask, coughing etiquette, and washing hands thoroughly.

[Anchor]
You said that it can be prevented to some extent if you follow personal hygiene well, but didn't you just tell me that coughing is the biggest feature? Are there any characteristics of coughing compared to other diseases such as colds and flu?

[Choi Youngjun]
It says you have a very bad cough. In particular, it will be characterized by coughing too much to vomit or a severe cough that has low oxygen saturation in young infants and toddlers.

[Anchor]
So how are the symptoms or the path of infection compared to COVID-19?

[Choi Youngjun]
The infection warning is very similar to COVID-19. It spreads through droplets. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the personal hygiene rules such as washing hands as well as wearing masks and coughing etiquette.

[Anchor]
Will the whooping cough epidemic affect seasonality?

[Choi Youngjun]
That's right. In the past, we usually followed seasonality such as spring and fall. In particular, it occurred throughout the year and there was a period of fashion every two to three years. Recently, however, there have been reports that this seasonality has slowed down a little and is changing to a pattern that occurs throughout the year.

[Anchor]
It is said that the number of whooping cough patients has increased 100 times compared to last year, but do you feel it at the scene?

[Choi Youngjun]
That's right. I'm also feeling that the number of patients has increased a lot in our hospital. Not only me, but also pediatricians across the country and pediatric infectious teachers in university hospitals feel a lot and are actually treating patients a lot.

[Anchor]
However, there is an analysis that the number of patients has increased so much that the effectiveness of the vaccine has decreased. What do you think?

[Choi Youngjun]
That's right. The whooping cough vaccine has been used for a long time. In particular, infants are inoculated at 2, 4, 6 months old, and 4-6 years old. This vaccine is not a complete vaccine. So, after 5-6 years, 7-8 years, the effectiveness of vaccines is decreasing to some extent. That's why our children are vaccinated a little before entering adolescents when they are 11 to 12 years old. However, since the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases again afterwards, it is recommended to get additional boosters, especially for families just about to give birth or mothers, which can spread to infants and young children.

[Anchor]
Then, can I definitely prevent infection if I get vaccinated? I'd like to ask you this if it's safe for about five to six years.

[Choi Youngjun]
In the first few years after vaccination, the preventive effect of the vaccine is sufficient. That's why there aren't many patients we're seeing who are younger than a few years old after getting vaccinated. The main group of patients is very young infants who have been vaccinated for a very long time or who are less than two months old who have not yet been vaccinated.

[Anchor]
It is said that vaccination has a certain preventive effect, so I think it would be better for those in the risk group to get it. You just told me that whooping cough is especially fatal to children. Then, first of all, many young children get infected, so what's wrong with this?

[Choi Youngjun]
Again, it is a difference according to the level of immunity. If the prevalence of whooping cough in the community goes below a certain level, it will no longer occur, but it can cause natural exposure to ordinary people. Infection usually occurs in very young infants who have not experienced this exposure or do not have preventive effects against vaccines. I think there are other biological factors.

[Anchor]
Then, if you are infected with whooping cough, I wonder how to treat it, is it a disease that I must go to the hospital?

[Choi Youngjun]
Yes, if you suspect whooping cough or are diagnosed with whooping cough, you must be treated at the hospital. Whooping cough has bacteria and can be treated well with antibiotic treatment. In addition, I think the hospital needs to manage and treat various respiratory complications that can occur due to severe cough.

[Anchor]
I think it will be important to visit a hospital first, instead of resting at home and trying to treat it. Next time, we will look into pneumonia. I thought it was a cold, but I know that there are many patients who say it was pneumonia. It is said that the number of elementary school students has also increased a lot, but what is the current status?

[Choi Youngjun]
As you said, the number of pneumonia patients has increased a lot. In the case of elementary school students, pneumonia caused by mycoplasma bacteria, which has been prevalent for almost 10 months, has been prevalent in recent months. In particular, pneumonia caused by various viruses is increasing as autumn and winter enter.

[Anchor]
You mentioned mycoplasma pneumonia, is this different from normal pneumonia?

[Choi Youngjun]
That's right. It's different from normal pneumonia. There are many other characteristics such as viral pneumonia or common bacterial pneumonia in children. Children do not have very severe colostrum pneumonia, but they have very severe fever or cough, have long-lasting symptoms, and have very high transmission power. In particular, it is in fashion every 2-3 years, and there was a pause for a while after Corona, but it will be the last year that it has been in fashion again.

[Anchor]
You said that very severe fever and cough appear and spread power is strong, so it is prevalent every 2-3 years. If so, what symptoms can you suspect pneumonia?

[Choi Youngjun]
The initial symptoms of pneumonia are very similar to colds and can be difficult to distinguish. However, if you have a very high fever, severe cough, or phlegm, or have difficulty breathing or complaining of chest pain, you should visit a hospital for treatment because there is a possibility of pneumonia.

[Anchor]
If you have a high fever of 38 degrees or higher as your cough gets worse, I will summarize that you must suspect pneumonia. Lastly, the weather is expected to have extreme temperature changes this winter, so can you tell me how to manage the respiratory system?

[Choi Youngjun]
If the temperature suddenly changes, it is easy to get respiratory diseases such as colds and pneumonia. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the indoor temperature or humidity at 20 to 22 degrees and the humidity at 50 to 60%. In particular, it is recommended to keep the indoor air clean by ventilation for at least 20 to 30 minutes at least three times a day. It's common sense, but please follow personal hygiene rules. You will need to drink enough water and have a balanced diet or exercise, but especially importantly, there are so many infectious diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. In particular, it is better to get vaccinated in a timely manner to prevent respiratory diseases such as flu and pneumococcus.

[Anchor]
He said that vaccination is important as well as personal hygiene such as ventilation, masks, and hand washing. That's all I have to say. I was with Choi Young-joon, a professor of pediatrics at Korea University Anam Hospital. Thank you.

[Choi Youngjun]
Thank you.