Whooping cough

Whooping cough is an illness that can spread easily. It's also called pertussis. An infection with bacteria causes it. Many people with the illness get a serious hacking cough. Breathing in after coughing often causes a high-pitched noise that sounds like a "whoop."

Before the vaccine for pertussis came out, whooping cough was thought of as a childhood disease. Today, whooping cough mainly affects children too young to have gotten all their shots of the vaccine. The illness also tends to affect teenagers and adults whose protection from the vaccine has faded.

Deaths linked with whooping cough are rare. Most often, they occur in infants. But pregnant people can help protect their babies by getting a booster shot of the vaccine during pregnancy. Vaccination also is recommended for other people who will have close contact with an infant.

Once you become infected with whooping cough, it takes about 5 to 10 days for symptoms to start. Sometimes it takes up to three weeks. The symptoms often are mild at first. They may seem like those of a common cold. They can include:

• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Red, watery eyes.
• Fever.
• Cough.

After a week or two, the symptoms become worse. Thick mucus builds up inside the airways. This causes rapid coughing that can't be controlled. The cough can last for weeks or months, and it may be worse at night. Intense coughing attacks may cause:

• Vomiting.
• A red or blue face.
• Extreme tiredness.
• A high-pitched "whoop" sound during the next breath of air.

People with mild illnesses often don't make the whooping sound. Sometimes, an ongoing hacking cough is the only symptom of whooping cough in teens and adults.

Many babies with the illness don't cough at all. Some babies and young children might.

• Gag or struggle to breathe.
• Have skin, lips or nails that turn blue or purple.
• Have life-threatening pauses in breathing called apnea.

Call your healthcare professional if ongoing coughing spells cause you or your child to:

• Vomit.
• Turn red, purple or blue.
• Breathe in with a whooping sound.
• Not drink enough fluid.

Call 911 or your local emergency number right away if you or your child seems to struggle to breathe. Also call for emergency care if you notice pauses in breathing.

A type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny germ-filled droplets spray into the air. Anyone who happens to be nearby can breathe in the droplets. The bacteria that cause whooping cough also can spread when people are together for a long time. Or these germs can spread when people share breathing space, such as while holding a newborn on your chest.

The whooping cough vaccine you receive as a child wears off over time. This leaves many teenagers and adults prone to the infection during an outbreak. And regular outbreaks still happen.

Certain infants are most at risk for serious health problems and death from whooping cough. These include babies younger than 12 months old who are not vaccinated or haven't received all their vaccine doses.

Teens and adults often recover from whooping cough with no problems. When other health conditions happen, they tend to be side effects of intense coughing, such as:

• Bruised or cracked ribs.
• Tissue that bulges through a weak spot in the muscles of the stomach area, called an abdominal hernia.
• Broken blood vessels in the skin or the whites of the eyes.

Teens and adults also can have:

• Loss of bladder control.
• Weight loss.
• Fainting.

Infants

Health conditions that can happen with whooping cough are more serious in infants, especially those under 6 months of age. They can include:

• The lung infection pneumonia.
• Ear infection.
• Slowed or stopped breathing.
• Dehydration or weight loss due to trouble feeding.
• Seizures.
• Brain damage.

Infants and toddlers have the highest risk of other health conditions due to whooping cough. So, they're more likely to need treatment for these in a hospital. Health conditions due to whooping cough can be life-threatening for infants younger than 6 months old.

The best way to prevent whooping cough is with the pertussis vaccine. It's often given together with vaccines against two other serious diseases: diphtheria and tetanus. Healthcare professionals recommend starting vaccination during infancy.

The vaccine is a series of five shots. You might hear it called DTaP. It's most often given to children at these ages:

• 2 months.
• 4 months.
• 6 months.
• 15 to 18 months.
• 4 to 6 years.

Vaccine side effects

Most often, side effects of the vaccine are mild. They may include a fever, crankiness, headache, fatigue or soreness at the site of the shot.

Booster shots

Booster shots strengthen the body's defenses against whooping cough. They help protect against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. You might hear your healthcare professional call your booster shot Tdap. It's recommended for the following people.

• Pre-teens. Protection from the pertussis vaccine tends to fade by age 11. So, healthcare professionals recommend a shot of Tdap at 11 or 12 years old.
• Pregnant women. Health experts now recommend getting a shot of Tdap between 27 and 36 weeks of each pregnancy. This also may give some protection to an infant during the first few months of life.
• Adults. Sometimes, Tdap is given instead of a booster shot for tetanus and diphtheria. The tetanus and diphtheria booster shot is recommended for adults every 10 years. If you're due for that shot and you've never received Tdap before, your healthcare professional likely will give you Tdap instead. That's because Tdap protects against all three diseases. In general, adults who never received the Tdap booster shot can get one at any time. It's key to make sure you're up to date on your shots at least two weeks before you get close to a baby. The vaccine lowers your risk of spreading whooping cough to infants.

Preventive medications

If you or your infant has been exposed to someone with whooping cough, talk with your healthcare professional. Medicines called antibiotics may be recommended to protect against infection if you:

• Are a healthcare professional.
• Are pregnant.
• Are younger than 12 months old.
• Have a health condition that could put you at risk of serious illness or complications. This includes conditions such as a weakened immune system or asthma.
• Live with someone who has whooping cough.
• Live with someone who is at high risk of serious illness or complications from a whooping cough infection. This includes babies and pregnant women.