Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness. Symptoms may appear 5 to 21 days after infection.
Whooping cough symptoms may begin like a common cold, but unlike a cold, the coughing can last for weeks or months. Adults may not “whoop” but instead have coughing fits that may cause gagging or vomiting.
Age and underlying medical conditions can increase someone's risk of getting severe whooping cough. It's especially important to prevent the following people from getting sick.
Babies younger than 1 year old are at greatest risk for getting whooping cough and having severe complications from it.
People with pre-existing health conditions (immunocompromised or moderate to severe asthma) are at high risk for developing a severe infection.
Treating whooping cough early with appropriate antibiotics may make the infection less serious.
If you've been closely 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.
If you have symptoms of whooping cough, stay home and seek care with your healthcare provider. Stay home during the 1st 5 days of antibiotic treatment. Once you have been tested, stay home until you get results. If you do not have a local healthcare provider you can go to an urgent care clinic or UAH Health Services. Web-book through the Charger Health Portal
The best way to prevent whooping cough is to get vaccinated. The CDC recommends whooping cough vaccination for everyone. Review your vaccination record; if you have not had Tdap in the past 10 years, you may need to be boosted. Tdap boosters can be obtained at your PCP, most pharmacies, and UAH Health Services.