Whooping cough (known medically as pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. Although it initially resembles an ordinary cold, whooping cough may eventually turn more serious, particularly in infants. Whooping cough is most contagious before the coughing starts.
This is one of the most common vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the United States. It's important to remember that both children and adults can get whooping cough. Since the 1980s, there's been a dramatic increase in the number of cases of whooping cough, especially among teens (10 – 19 years of age) and babies less than 5 months of age. In 2005, there were more than 25,000 total reported cases. In rare cases, whooping cough can be deadly; the disease causes an estimated 10 to 20 deaths each year in the United States.
After 1-2 weeks, severe coughing begins. Children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they're forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound.
Adults are at highest risk for:
Other complications of adult pertussis occur rarely.
Infants are at highest risk for:
People with whooping cough usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Many infants who get whooping cough are infected by older siblings or parents who might not even know they have the disease. This makes it important for all teens and adults to be adequately vaccinated.
The best way to prevent whooping cough is to get vaccinated. Vaccine protection for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis can fade with time. Before 2005, the only booster available contained tetanus and diphtheria (called Td) and was recommended for adolescents and adults every 10 years. Today there are boosters for adolescents and adults that contain tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap). Adults who didn’t get Tdap as a pre-teen or teen should get one dose of Tdap instead of their next regular tetanus booster.
In the United States, the recommended vaccine for children is called DTaP and protects children against three diseases: pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus. For maximum protection against pertussis, children need five DTaP shots between the ages of about 2 months to 4 years. Parents can also help protect infants by keeping them away as much as possible from anyone who has cold symptoms or is coughing.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/in-short-both.htm
