10/13/26 Public Health Education Topic: Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Per CDC
Key points
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness.
Whooping cough may begin like a common cold, but unlike a cold, the coughing can last for weeks or months.
Treating whooping cough early with antibiotics may make the infection less serious.
Symptoms
Symptoms of whooping cough can vary for people based on their age and if they've been vaccinated or not.
Risk factors
Age and underlying medical conditions can increase someone's risk for getting a severe case of whooping cough. It's especially important to prevent these people from getting sick.
Age
Babies younger than 1 year old are at greatest risk for getting whooping cough and having severe complications from it.
Medical conditions
People with pre-existing health conditions that may be worsened by whooping cough are at high risk for developing a severe infection. Some conditions that could be made worse by whooping cough include, but are not limited to:
Immunocompromising conditions
Moderate to severe medically treated asthma
Prevention
Vaccination
The best way to prevent whooping cough is to get vaccinated. CDC recommends whooping cough vaccination for everyone.
Antibiotics
Preventive antibiotics are also known as postexposure antimicrobial prophylaxis (PEP). These are medicines given to someone who has been exposed to harmful bacteria to help prevent them from getting sick.Some people should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting sick if they have been around someone with whooping cough.
If you've been exposed to someone with whooping cough, talk to a healthcare provider about preventive antibiotics. A healthcare provider or health department generally decides who should get preventive antibiotics.
Good hygiene
CDC recommends practicing good hygiene to help prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses that can cause many respiratory illnesses.
Find information about handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes.
Re-infection
People who've had whooping cough have some immunity to future whooping cough infections. However, getting sick with whooping cough doesn't provide lifelong protection.
During widespread community transmission
When there is widespread community transmission, public health authorities focus on protecting those at highest risk of serious illness.
Key strategies focus on vaccination and preventive antibiotics for these high-risk groups and people who are around them. A second goal is to protect all other people from getting whooping cough.
To learn more please visit: About Whooping Cough | Whooping Cough | CDC
