English: What is Whooping Cough?

What is whooping cough? Whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is a very contagious illness that affects the lungs and airways. The bacteria that cause whooping cough spreads easily from person-to-person through the air in droplets when someone who is infected coughs or sneezes. Whooping cough can cause severe coughing fits that make it hard to breathe. After many coughs, someone with whooping cough may take a deep breath that makes a high-pitched “whoop” sound. Here is what whooping cough can sound like. Anyone can get whooping cough but it can be especially serious for babies less than one year old. People with weakened immune conditions, people with moderate to severe asthma, and pregnant women may also be at higher risk of serious illness. Vaccination is the best way to protect against whooping cough. DTaP and Tdap vaccines protect against whooping cough, but protection can decrease over time. This is why boosters are recommended throughout your lifetime. Ask your healthcare provider if you or your child is up to date or needs another dose of the vaccine. Symptoms usually start five to 10 days after someone has been exposed to the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Sometimes symptoms don't develop for as long as 3 weeks. At first, whooping cough can look like a common cold. Symptoms may include a runny or stuffy nose, a low fever, and a mild cough. After one or two weeks, the cough may get worse and turn into severe coughing fits. These coughing fits can last for several weeks, sometimes up to ten weeks. People may vomit during or after the coughing fit. They may feel very tired after the fit but usually seem well in-between fits. They may have difficulty sleeping at night, struggle to breathe or even fracture or break a rib from coughing so hard. Many babies with whooping cough don't cough at all. Instead, they may have life-threatening pauses in breathing. This may cause the baby to turn blue or they may struggle to breathe. For some babies, whooping cough may seem like a common cold for the entire illness, not just at the beginning. Babies younger than one year old who are not fully vaccinated have the greatest risk of serious complications. Get emergency medical care right away if you or your child is having trouble breathing. Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics. When antibiotics are started early, they may make the illness less severe. Once severe coughing fits have started, antibiotics may not make the cough go away faster, but they can help prevent the illness from spreading to other people. Always take antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Without antibiotic treatment, a person with whooping cough can spread the illness for up to 21 days after their cough starts. After taking the right antibiotic for five days, a person is generally no longer considered contagious. If you have whooping cough, follow your healthcare provider's instructions about when it is safe to return to school, work or other activities. You should also make sure to cover coughs and sneezes and practice good handwashing. Anyone in contact with someone with whooping cough should do the same.