Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

	What is it?
	Symptoms
	How is it spread?
	Who gets it?
	Who is at greatest risk?
	Treatment
	Prevention

Pertussis (also called "whooping cough") is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes a severe cough.

• Symptoms appear 6 to 21 (average 7-10) days after exposure to an infected person.
• Pertussis may start with cold symptoms or a dry cough followed by episodes of severe coughing. Gagging or vomiting may occur after severe coughing spells. Cough may be worse at night. The person may look and feel healthy between coughing episodes. Fever is absent or mild.
• Immunized school children, adolescents, and adults often have milder illness than young children.
• Infants with pertussis may not develop a severe cough. They may only have a mild cough, decreased feeding, and may have difficulty breathing or turn bluish.

• Pertussis is spread through droplets from the mouth and nose when a person with pertussis coughs, sneezes, or talks.
• Untreated, persons with pertussis can spread the infection for several weeks.
• Adults, older children, and healthcare workers with unrecognized pertussis can spread the infection to others, including young children and pregnant women.

• Anyone who is exposed to the bacteria can get pertussis.
• Pertussis vaccine prevents severe disease in young infants, but even a vaccinated person can get pertussis.
• Pertussis occurs in older children and adults because protection from the vaccine (DTP or DTaP) is not 100% and decreases over time.

• Infants less than one year old have the highest risk of severe pertussis, including hospitalization, pneumonia, convulsions, and rarely, brain damage or death.
• Unimmunized or partly immunized children are also at higher risk for pertussis infection and severe disease.
• Pregnant women with pertussis near the time of delivery may spread it to their newborns.

• Early in the disease, an antibiotic active against pertussis can help decrease transmission to others.
• Persons treated with antibiotics are no longer contagious after the first 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment have been completed.

• Pertussis vaccine is included in DTaP and the Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults.
  • Before age 7, children should get 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine.
  • Tdap should be given as a single booster dose to 11-64 year old individuals and to individuals 65 and over if they anticipate having close contact with infants less than 12 months of age
  • Tdap can be given during pregnancy, preferably in the third or late second trimester. If not given during pregnancy it should be given right after the baby is born.
• Persons with cough illnesses should avoid contact with infants and expectant mothers, including visiting or working in labor, delivery, and nursery areas of hospitals and in child care settings.
• If you live with or have close contact with someone who has pertussis, antibiotics may be needed to prevent pertussis — contact your health care provider.