Whooping cough

Whooping cough is an extremely contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It is also called pertussis which literally means “a violent cough”. The disease is characterized by the “whooping” sound that an individual makes when gasping for air after a fit of persistent cough.

The disease can affect people of all ages, however the severity of the symptoms depends on various factors, including the patient's age, strength of the immune response, and extent of spread of bacteria.

The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms including a runny nose, mild cough or fever. Within two weeks, a dry and persistent cough may develop which can cause difficulty in breathing. In infants, the cough can be minimal or absent. They may develop a serious symptom called apnea which is a pause in the breathing pattern. 

Vaccination can effectively prevent whooping cough and is recommended for all ages. Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine is given as a combination vaccine with the vaccines for diphtheria and tetanus.