What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a disease that causes very severe coughing that may last for months. You can cough so hard that you hurt a rib.

Whooping cough is also called pertussis.

Whooping cough is contagious. This means it spreads easily from one person to another. You can prevent whooping cough by getting shots, called vaccines, that protect you from the disease.

Whooping cough can lead to other problems, such as pneumonia. These problems can be very serious in adults ages 60 and older and in young children, especially babies who are born early or have not had shots to prevent whooping cough.

With good care, most people recover from whooping cough with no problems.

Anyone can get whooping cough. Before the vaccine was available, whooping cough was most common in infants and young children. Because most infants now get the vaccine, people ages 11 and up are now more likely to get it.

You can get whooping cough more than once, and you may get it years apart. But you will be less likely to get it again if you get the shots as recommended.

What causes whooping cough?

Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that infect the top of the throat (pharynx) where it meets the nasal passages. The bacteria bother the throat, which causes coughing.

See a picture of the respiratory system, including the pharynx.

Whooping cough spreads easily from person to person. When someone with the disease coughs, sneezes, or laughs, tiny drops of fluid holding the bacteria are put into the air. The bacteria can infect others when they breathe in the drops or get them on their hands and touch their mouth or nose. After the bacteria infect someone, symptoms appear about 7 to 14 days later.

What are the symptoms?

Adults usually have milder symptoms than children. How bad your symptoms are also depends on whether you had the vaccine and how long ago it was.

Symptoms of whooping cough usually last 6 to 10 weeks, but they may last longer. In young children, three stages can occur. Older children and adults don't always have the same stages.

In stage 1, symptoms are like those of a cold:

• You sneeze and have a runny nose, a mild cough, watery eyes, and sometimes a mild fever.
• The symptoms last from several days to 2 weeks.
• This is when you are most likely to spread the disease.

In stage 2, the cold symptoms get better, but the cough gets worse.

• The cough goes from a mild, dry, hacking cough to a severe cough that you can't control.
• You may cough so long and hard that you can't breathe. When you can take a breath of air, it may make a whooping noise.
• After a coughing fit, you may vomit and feel very tired.
• Between coughing fits, you feel normal.
• Symptoms are most severe in this stage. It usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks or longer.

In stage 3, you get better and grow stronger.

• The cough may get louder.
• Coughing fits may happen off and on for weeks.
• Coughing fits may flare up if you get a cold or have a similar illness.
• This stage may last longer if you have never had the vaccine.

How is whooping cough diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she may order tests to rule out other health problems. Your doctor may ask if you have had the necessary shots.

It can sometimes be hard to diagnose whooping cough, because a person appears healthy between coughing episodes. Your doctor may take a sample of mucus from your throat and have it tested for the bacteria that cause whooping cough.

How is it treated?

You will be given antibiotics. These make it less likely that you will spread the disease. If you start taking the antibiotics when you first get whooping cough, the disease may not last as long.

Young infants usually are treated for whooping cough in the hospital so the doctor can see how well the baby deals with and recovers from the coughing.

Over-the-counter medicines, such as cough syrups, have not been shown to help whooping cough. You can increase your comfort by using a humidifier and getting enough fluids.

Can whooping cough be prevented?

You can prevent whooping cough or reduce how bad it is by being sure that you and your children have had the vaccine. Any child, teen, or adult who has or expects to have close contact with babies younger than 1 year old should get the vaccine. Caregivers who never got the shots—and may not even know that they have the illness—can spread whooping cough to babies.

Washing your hands often and staying away from people who have a bad cough also may help you avoid getting the disease.

If you get whooping cough, you can avoid spreading it by taking antibiotics and waiting the right amount of time before you and your children go back to school or work:

• Children with whooping cough need to take antibiotics for at least 5 days before going back to day care or school. If your child did not take antibiotics, wait 21 days after the start of symptoms before sending your child to school or day care.
• Adults or teens with whooping cough need to take antibiotics for at least 5 days before being near young children or going to work at a school, a day care center, or a health facility.

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