Pertussis, or whooping cough

What is Pertussis?

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a disease of the nose and throat caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

What are the symptoms of pertussis infection?

Symptoms usually appear 4 to 21 days after exposure to someone with the illness. The symptoms of pertussis usually occur in 3 stages.

• The first stage begins like a cold, with a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever and cough. The cough may be mild at first but soon gets worse.


• The second stage includes uncontrolled coughing or coughing spasms that may be followed by a whooping noise when the person breathes in air. During these severe coughing spells, a person may vomit, or their lips or face may look blue from a lack of oxygen. The infected person may appear well between coughing spells. This stage may last several weeks.


• The third stage is the last stage where the cough slowly begins to disappear. This stage may also last for several weeks.

Will everyone with pertussis have all of those symptoms?

You can have pertussis with only a prolonged cough, for example two weeks or longer, without coughing spasms or whooping or vomiting.

How is pertussis spread?

The bacterium that causes pertussis is found in the nose and throat of infected people. These bacteria spread through the air in droplets produced when an infected person sneezes and/or coughs. Persons in the early stage of illness are the most contagious.

How long are people contagious?

After 5 days of the proper antibiotics, people are no longer contagious. If a person does not take antibiotics, s/he is contagious for 21 days after the onset of the coughing spasms.

Who gets pertussis?

Pertussis can occur at any age, but vaccination lowers the risk.

What treatment is available for people with pertussis?

Antibiotics will shorten the length of time the person is contagious. If started in the early stage of the disease, antibiotics may make the illness less severe. However, even with the antibiotics, people may cough for many weeks.

Do infected people need to be kept home from school, work or daycare?

Persons sick with pertussis should be kept home until they have been treated with antibiotics for at least five days and are well enough to return to school, work or daycare.

How can I protect myself and my family from getting pertussis?

• If you are a household member or high-risk close contact of a person with pertussis, take the proper preventive antibiotics.


• Keep your children up to date on their vaccinations pertussis vaccine is given at 2, 4, 6, and 12-18 months of age, at 4-6 years of age when a child begins school and at 11 years when starting middle school.


• Pregnant women after 20 weeks of gestation should receive a single booster dose of pertussis vaccine if they have not previously had a booster.


• Adults of all ages, particularly if they are around babies, should receive a booster pertussis vaccination if they have not previously received one.

Get Your Tdap Booster

Families of infants should make sure that all family members are immunized against whooping cough to protect themselves and the baby. Parents should ask their doctor for the Tdap vaccine, which protects against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria.

Immunize Your Child

Children 7 years of age and older can also get the new Tdap booster. Infants and toddlers need four shots to protect against whooping cough, and a booster before starting kindergarten.
src: nmhealth.org