Whooping Cough
(Pertussis)

1. Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Slideshow Pictures
2. Parenting and Healthy Eating Slideshow Pictures
3. Parenting - Fitness and Exercise Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

View Full Profile

• Whooping cough (pertussis) is an acute, highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
• Whooping cough commonly affects infants and young children but can be prevented by immunization with pertussis vaccine.
• Adults may develop whooping cough as their immunity from childhood vaccines wears off over time.
• Clinical symptoms occur in three stages; the characteristic bursts of coughing are observed in the second, or paroxysmal, stage.
• Antibiotics can help reduce the severity of the disease when administered early in the course of the disease.
• Secondary bacterial pneumonia is the most common complication of whooping cough.

Whooping cough is a bacterial upper respiratory infection that leads to episodes of violent coughing. The disease is named for the characteristic sound produced when affected individuals attempt to inhale; the whoop originates from the inflammation and swelling of the laryngeal structures (voice box) that vibrate when there is a rapid inflow of air during inspiration. Whooping cough is highly contagious.

The first outbreaks of whooping cough were described in the 16th century. The bacterium responsible for the infection, Bordetella pertussis, was not identified until 1906. In the pre-vaccination era (during the 1920s and 30s), there were over 250,000 cases of whooping cough per year in the U.S., with up to 9,000 deaths. In the 1940s, the pertussis vaccine, combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTP), was introduced. By 1976, the incidence of whooping cough in the U.S. had decreased by over 99%.

During the 1980s, however, the incidence of whooping cough began to increase and has risen steadily, with epidemics typically occurring every three to five years in the U.S. In the epidemic of 2005, 25,616 cases were reported according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2008, over 13,000 cases of whooping cough were reported in the U.S., resulting in 18 deaths. In 2010, which included an epidemic in California (see below), 27,550 cases of pertussis were reported nationwide.

In 2010, a pertussis epidemic was declared in California. This outbreak included 9,143 cases of pertussis (including 10 infant deaths) throughout California. This was the highest number of cases reported in an outbreak since 1947. In the previous epidemic of 2005, California recorded 3,182 cases and eight deaths.