Whooping Cough Facts
What is Whooping Cough?
Whooping cough — or pertussis — is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis (or B. pertussis). It's characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when the person breathes in. But in recent years, the number of cases has started to rise. By 2004, the number of whooping cough cases spiked past 25,000, the highest level it's been since the 1950s. It's mainly affected infants younger than 6 months old before they're adequately protected by immunizations, and kids 11 to 18 years old whose immunity has faded.
Adults with pertussis may have cold- or flu-like symptoms that can include a bad, prolonged cough, but the illness can be more severe and can lead to complications, like pneumonia, for infants and young children.
Kids routinely get the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine in five doses before their sixth birthday, then a combination booster shot (called Tdap) between 11 and 18 years old. The effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine can fade in time. That means teens and adults who were immunized during childhood may still catch and then pass on the infection to babies and young kids who haven't yet been fully immunized.
Pertussis is highly contagious so it's important to call your doctor at the earliest signs of the illness. Pertussis is typically treated with antibiotics and goes away within a few weeks.
