Whooping Cough (Pertussis) - Topic Overview

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a disease that causes very severe coughing that may last for months. You can cough so hard that you hurt a rib.

Whooping cough is also called pertussis.

Whooping cough is contagious. This means it spreads easily from one person to another. You can prevent whooping cough by getting shots, called vaccines, that protect you from the disease.

Whooping cough can lead to other problems, such as pneumonia. These problems can be very serious in adults ages 60 and older and in young children, especially babies who are born early or have not had shots to prevent whooping cough.

With good care, most people recover from whooping cough with no problems.

Anyone can get whooping cough. Before the vaccine was available, whooping cough was most common in infants and young children. Because most infants now get the vaccine, people ages 11 and up are now more likely to get it.

You can get whooping cough more than once, and you may get it years apart. But you will be less likely to get it again if you get the shots as recommended.

What causes whooping cough?

Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that infect the top of the throat (pharynx) where it meets the nasal passages. The bacteria bother the throat, which causes coughing.

See a picture of the respiratory system , including the pharynx.

Whooping cough spreads easily from person to person. When someone with the disease coughs, sneezes, or laughs, tiny drops of fluid holding the bacteria are put into the air. The bacteria can infect others when they breathe in the drops or get them on their hands and touch their mouth or nose. After the bacteria infect someone, symptoms appear about 7 to 14 days later.

What are the symptoms?

Adults usually have milder symptoms than children. How bad your symptoms are also depends on whether you had the vaccine and how long ago it was.

Symptoms of whooping cough usually last 6 to 10 weeks, but they may last longer. In young children, three stages can occur. Older children and adults don't always have the same stages.

In stage 1 , symptoms are like those of a cold:

You sneeze and have a runny nose, a mild cough, watery eyes, and sometimes a mild fever.
The symptoms last from several days to 2 weeks.
This is when you are most likely to spread the disease.

In stage 2 , the cold symptoms get better, but the cough gets worse.

The cough goes from a mild, dry, hacking cough to a severe cough that you can't control.
You may cough so long and hard that you can't breathe. When you can take a breath of air, it may make a whooping noise.
After a coughing fit, you may vomit and feel very tired.
Between coughing fits, you feel normal.
Symptoms are most severe in this stage. It usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks or longer.

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WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: January 04, 2008

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.