I was asked if croup is the same as whooping cough (Petussis). No, it isn't. See: http://croup-cough.info/difference-between-croup-and-whooping-cough/ In the past, both viral croup and bacterial Petussis were illnesses of babies and children. Medical journals now say that croup is hitting more adults. Although it is still "rare" in adults, the outcomes can be more severe in adults than in kids because it makes the adult airway swell (for some reason) even more than what it does in kids. Basically, if your symptoms are literally from the throat to upper chest (but NO head cold or nasal sysmtoms), it's a classic pattern for croup. Brochitis is more "middle chest". Pneumonia is more "middle to lower" chest. Whooping cough (Pertussis) involves all lobes on both sides of the chest (2 lobes left side; 3 lobes right side). Whooping cough's type of cough persists in a long spell of coughing until there's no more air in the lungs. Croup's type of cough is "barking" but there's still air returning to the lungs. Bronchitis and Pneumonia produce restricted airflow; there can be wheezing and reduced breath sounds. It can feel like there's a "cement block" sitting in the mid-chest. In pneumonia, there is typically an area of consolidation where the body has tried to "wall off" the bug (viral OR bacterial) that is causing the pneumonia. The consolidation means little to no oxygen can get to the aveoli in that area. When people don't turn or move, the secretions in the lungs can restrict airflow even more. The more consolidation, the higher the chance for death to occur. Note: This subject isn't totally off-topic. These illnesses killed many people in the past because no one knew yet about viruses and bacteria. They had no vaccinnes or antibiotics. They had no ICUs or "respiratory care" services. They instructed pts to get "bed rest", and because patients felt so badly, were short of breath and so weak, they stayed in bed, often not even turning off their backs. So, many of our ancestors died, when today most of us live through croup, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Babies and the elderly are still at high risk today for death as a result of lower (i.e. chest) respiratory infections (upper resp inf. usually mean the common cold-- sinus, nose, ears, throat and the majority of people can survive those now unless they get a secondary infection). Judy On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 3:30 PM, J.A. Florian <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi List, > > First, thank you for the well-wishes some of you sent. Whatever bug I > caught seems to one that hangs on. My doc is treating numerous people every > week who came down with the same bug back in Aug-Sept. like I did. We're > all still sick due to the way this specific virus seems to change once it's > in the body. Adult croup is very rare but occuring more frequently in > adults (and it can kill in adults more than kids because it can make the > throat tissues swell). It seems to start with croup then develop into a > difficult to treat bronchitis after several weeks. Like in babies, this > flu-based croup bug causes a distinctive dry persistent cough and shortness > of breath as the primary 2 symptoms (throat and upper lung areas). It's hit > in the middle NE states, first in school-age kids. So if you or someone you > know has a dry hacking cough, it could be this bug. It is *highly* > contagious since it is airborne and spread mostly by coughing. The same > person can get sick over & over or it can seem to "get better" for a few > days then gets worse again. >