Whooping Cough Directory
Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory infection disease caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. The disease usually starts with cold symptoms but then leads to severe coughing spells, which can last for many weeks or even months. It is called whooping cough because most people makes a "whoop" sound when trying to take a breath after coughing; this is due to all the air being forced out of the lungs. Whooping cough can lead to serious illness and death. It is especially severe among young babies. A vaccine can help prevent whooping cough. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about how whooping cough is contracted, what it looks like, how to treat it, and much more.
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Whooping cough is highly contagious. If one person has pertussis, up to 90% of people in the same house will get it. Here’s what careful moms do.
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