Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella Pertussis. It is a readily transmissible respiratory infection that may cause severe respiratory illness. The burden of severe pertussis affects infants, often resulting in hospitalisation (especially those aged under 6 months).

There has been a shift in the epidemiology of pertussis in Australia and the United States, from a disease of young children to a disease of adolescents and adults of child-bearing age.
In Australia, there has been a preponderance of pertussis notifications in adult females.

When infected with pertussis, coughing may result in vomiting or gagging. Some infected persons make a ‘whoop’ sound when the person breathes in after coughing, giving the condition its general name.

Symptoms

• Symptoms appear between 6 to 21 days (average 7-10) after exposure to an infected person.
• Pertussis usually starts with cold symptoms (runny nose, cough) followed by episodes of severe coughing that can last 1-2 months.
• Vomiting may occur after coughing spells.
• The person may look and feel healthy between coughing episodes.
• Immunized school children, adolescents and adults have milder symptoms than young children.
• Pertussis is spread to close contacts through droplets from the mouth and nose when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
• Persons treated with antibiotics are contagious until the first 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment have been completed.
• Unimmunized or inadequately immunized people are at higher risk for severe disease.
• Many cases occur in adults and older children because protection from the vaccine lasts only 5 to 10 years after the last dose.
• Pertussis vaccine is used to protect young infants from severe disease, but even vaccinated persons can get less severe pertussis infections.

Treatment

Antibiotics are used to treat and prevent spread of pertussis bacteria to others.

Prevention

Pertussis vaccine is included in Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine

• Before age 7, children should get 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine
• These are usually given at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months* of age and 4 - 6 years of age
• The 4th dose may be given as early as 12 months of age

People with pertussis should stay home and avoid close contact with others until 5 days of antibiotic treatment have been completed at which time they are no longer contagious.

If you live or have close contact with someone who has pertussis you might need to take antibiotics to prevent pertussis. For more details speak with your health care provider.