What is pertussis?

Pertussis is an illness caused by bacteria. Pertussis is also called “whooping cough.” When a person who has pertussis coughs or sneezes, people who are near them can breathe in the bacteria and become ill. Adults with pertussis usually feel like they have a cold with a bad cough. Babies and small children with pertussis can become very sick.

What are the symptoms of pertussis?

Pertussis usually starts with symptoms of a cold, like a stuffy and runny nose. You might also have a mild fever or cough. Your cough will get much worse after 1 or 2 weeks. It may take several weeks for your cough to go away. Children who have pertussis have a hard and fast cough that can cause a whooping sound. They may gag on mucus and throw up after they cough. Not every child who has pertussis will make the whooping sound when they cough.

Why is pertussis dangerous?

Adults can easily pass this infection to babies and children without knowing the cough they have is pertussis. Babies are not always able to fight this infection. They can have pneumonia (an infection in the lungs) and problems breathing. Many babies who are less than 1 year old will need to be in the hospital if they get pertussis. Some babies will die if they get pertussis.

What is the treatment for pertussis?

If you or your child has pertussis, you will be given antibiotic medicine. This medicine helps kill the bacteria so you will not be able to pass the infection to another person. The antibiotics may not stop your symptoms and cough. You may have coughing for up to 10 weeks. You can take over-the-counter medicines to help with your cough.

Don't normal vaccine shots keep my child from getting pertussis?

The vaccine for pertussis is offered to all children. Babies get a series of 3 shots when they are 2, 4, and 6 months old. Babies do not get full protection from the disease until they are 1 year old and have had these first 3 shots. Children are then given 2 pertussis booster shots to make sure they are protected. They get the first booster shot when they are between 15 and 18 months old, then the second booster shot when they are 4 to 6 years old. Most severe cases of pertussis happen in babies less than 1 year old.

How can I keep my baby from getting pertussis?

The very best way to protect your baby from getting pertussis is to have the Tdap vaccine every time you are pregnant. The Tdap is a combination vaccine that keeps you from getting tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The best time to get the vaccine is when you are 27 and 36 weeks pregnant. This allows your body to produce antibodies that prevent pertussis. The antibodies are passed to your baby through the placenta. The Tdap vaccine is very safe in pregnancy. There is no risk to your baby from you getting the Tdap vaccine while you are pregnant. If you do not get the Tdap vaccine while you are pregnant, you can get the shot right after you have your baby.

Breastfeeding or feeding your baby your breast milk can also help prevent pertussis. Your baby will get the antibodies that protect against pertussis in your milk.

How else can I protect myself and my baby from pertussis?

Most babies get pertussis from an adult who they are around often, such as a parent or grandparent. Many adults who got the pertussis vaccine as a child have lost protection against pertussis. They are able to get the infection again. All teenagers and adults, especially those who are often around babies, should receive a Tdap booster shot. It is safe for you to get a Tdap booster no matter when your last tetanus shot was. If all the adults and teenagers around your baby get the Tdap booster, the chance that your baby will get pertussis becomes very small.

What are the side effects of getting the Tdap vaccine?

The most common side effects of the Tdap vaccine are pain and redness where you get the shot. A small number of people get a headache, feel very tired, or have an upset stomach for a day or so after getting the shot. You should not get the Tdap vaccine if you are sick with an infection or have had a reaction to the vaccine in the past.

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 6.4

Approved August 2021. This handout replaces “Preventing Pertussis (Whooping Cough)” published in Volume 58, Number 3, May/June 2013.

This handout may be reproduced for noncommercial use by health care professionals to share with patients, but modifications to the handout are not permitted. The information and recommendations in this handout are not a substitute for health care. Consult your health care provider for information specific to you and your health.