“Anyone with pertussis, or exposed to it, should be treated with antibiotics. Depending on what’s available, your provider will do culture testing or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test – similar to what’s done for COVID-19. Most primary care offices don’t offer a rapid pertussis diagnosis test, like what is done to determine if you have influenza or strep. Kids ages 11-18 also need a Tdap booster from the original vaccine they received as babies, too. Davis recommends adults over 65 years old also receive the Tdap booster, and pregnant women should get a Tdap during every pregnancy, preferably at 27-36 weeks. All health care workers, childcare workers and families of pregnant women and infants should get a Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis) shot,” Dr. However, these rates have risen recently, and new vaccination recommendations focus on adult boosters, as adults are the main transmitters of whooping cough to infants. “Pertussis outbreaks largely decreased after universal adoption of the immunization in the 1940s. Davis says whooping cough is one of the most common causes of chronic cough lasting more than three to four weeks in adults and adolescents.

Pertussis can be very mild or show no symptoms at all in adults. To reduce the spread of the illness, wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and clean toys/frequently touched surfaces often. Whooping cough is most contagious during early stages and up to about two weeks after the cough begins. Whooping cough is contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets (small particles in the air) released from the body by coughing or sneezing. Infants less than 6 months old usually require hospitalization when infected with pertussis. Babies younger than 12 months old are at high risk for severe complications, as they haven’t completed the vaccination series. We also take into consideration whether someone received the whooping cough vaccine.” “The degree of illness usually varies by age, with young infants being the most severely affected. “People with whooping cough can vary in presentation from no symptoms, to mild upper respiratory infection, to severe, persistent cough,” Dr. Begins when the severe coughing fades, but infected individuals are at increased risk for respiratory complications if they catch another respiratory infection during this time. Infants can have episodes where they stop breathing (apnea), have low heart rates and poor feeding. Symptoms shift to severe coughing spells that can result in vomiting from coughing so hard.

Paroxysmal stage (some studies suggest 6-10 weeks).

Symptoms are the same as a mild cold or upper respiratory infection, including fatigue, runny nose/congestion, sneezing and a mild cough. Davis says whooping cough can last anywhere from two to three months and is characterized by stages of illness. This whooping sound is most common in young children.

It gets the name “whooping cough” due to the characteristic, high-pitched “whooping” sound people make when gasping for breath during severe outbreaks of violent and uncontrollable coughing. Pertussis, better known as whooping cough, is an acute, upper respiratory tract infection usually caused by bacteria. Other symptoms: Fatigue/tiredness, low-grade fever, runny nose/congestion, apnea (pause in breathing), low heart rate, decreased appetite.Coughing symptom: Severe, hacking coughing spells gasping for breath while making the high-pitched whooping sound.How Do You Know If Your Child Has Whooping Cough? Beware, the germs that cause these illnesses are contagious, so you’ll want to take precautions to prevent the spread of infection. Christine Davis, DO, UnityPoint Health, describes three of the most common childhood illnesses causing cough – RSV, croup and whooping cough. A coughing child is always concerning to parents and caregivers.

Croup nocturnal cough