Whooping cough
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough (often referred to by doctors as pertussis) is a respiratory infection caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. Whooping cough is usually spread by coughing or sneezing and is highly infectious. People of all ages can catch whooping cough, although the infection is most serious in babies younger than 6 months.
What are the symptoms?
Whooping cough commonly begins with a runny nose and a dry cough, which last about 1-2 weeks.
The cough then gets worse, typically coming in long bouts, or paroxysms. The person may have difficulty getting enough air while coughing, resulting in a gasp or ‘whoop’ at the end of the bout. Young babies may not have the classical ‘whoop’, but may go blue with coughing or have periods where they stop breathing temporarily (apnoeas). Sometimes, the bouts also end in vomiting. This phase of the infection may last about 4-6 weeks.
The third stage is the convalescent phase, with the cough gradually resolving over a further several weeks.
How is it diagnosed?
Your doctor may suspect infection with whooping cough from the symptoms, or from witnessing the coughing. Swabs from the nose or throat or blood tests may be used to confirm the diagnosis, although the tests are not always reliable.
How is it treated?
Treatment may vary depending on the severity of symptoms and how long the person has been sick. Young babies will most likely be hospitalised.
An antibiotic such as erythromycin or azithromycin is the usual treatment for the infection. Antibiotics may also help to reduce the risk of passing on the infection to others. People are usually advised to stay off work (and children should be excluded from child care, kindergarten or school) until they have had at least 5 days of antibiotics. Without antibiotic treatment, the exclusion period is longer — 3 weeks from the start of coughing.
Can it be prevented?
The best way of preventing or reducing the severity of whooping cough is to be immunised. In Australia, immunisation against whooping cough is recommended at age 2, 4, and 6 months as part of the National Immunisation Program Schedule. A booster dose is recommended at age 4 years and again at age 15-17 years.
People who have been in close contact with someone with whooping cough, such as members of the same household, are at increased risk of developing the infection. Therefore, antibiotics are often given to those who are at higher risk as a preventive measure.
Last Reviewed: 17 March 2008
