Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Pertussis, often known as whooping cough, is a highly infectious and usually mild illness that is easily transmitted through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms of pertussis may appear five to 10 days following exposure, but can take up to 21 days to develop. The first symptoms can be similar to the common cold: runny nose, sneezing, and a mild occasional cough (at least two weeks), which can become severe and spasmodic. This coughing may trigger gagging and sometimes vomiting. In mild cases one often appears well in between the coughing fits. Pertussis may be milder in older children, adolescents and adults. Those who are infected may unknowingly transmit the disease to vulnerable people including those who are immunized (protection from both vaccinations and disease wears off with time).

Most people recover completely from pertussis, but complications from the disease can be severe and possibly life-threatening in high risk groups, especially infants under one year of age, and children who have not been fully immunized against the disease.

Early symptom recognition can be difficult but critical in preventing further spread. If you or your child develop cold symptoms followed by a cough, it may be necessary to be evaluated by a physician for possible pertussis. Those with pertussis must stay home from daycare, pre-school, school, college, work or public gatherings until at least receiving five full days of the correct antibiotic.

Since infants, children and adults are best protected from pertussis by immunizations, please review the shot records of your family members. If you or your children have not received all of the recommended shots, contact your physician to arrange for these vaccinations. Infants and young children should receive a series of DTaP vaccines in their first six years of life, and adolescents and adults whould receive a single Tdap vaccine at 11 years of age and older. Please be aware that adults can often be a source of infection for small children and infants where the disease can be the most severe. (Occasionally, the Lake County Health Department receives inquiries regarding religious exemptions to vaccination. For more information on this topic, click here to download a PDF.) In addition, respiratory hygiene (e.g., covering your cough, coughing into tissues or arm) and frequent handwashing are important practices that help to limit the spread of this and other similar infections.

For more information on pertussis, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.

Information provided by the Lake County Health Department, December 2010