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Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Disease

Pertussis is still in the area. The disease is spread by air through direct face to face contact with the sick person. Symptoms usually appear 7-20 days after exposure. If you or your child(ren) come down with cold symptoms that include a cough, talk to your doctor without delay. Tell your doctor that there has been Pertussis identified in your community.

What is pertussis?

Pertussis is a contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory tract.

Who gets pertussis?

Pertussis can infect persons of all ages, but is most serious in infants and young children.

How is pertussis spread?

The bacteria are spread by contact with the respiratory droplets from an infected person through coughing. Exposure usually occurs after repeated indoor face-to face contact. Household spread is common.

What are the signs and symptoms of pertussis?

In infants and young children, the disease begins much like a cold with a runny nose, possible low grade fever and a mild but irritating cough for 1-2 weeks. The illness progresses to spells of explosive coughing that can interrupt breathing, eating and sleeping and is commonly followed by vomiting and exhaustion. Following the cough, the patients may make a loud crowing or "whooping" sound as they struggle to inhale air (hence the common name "whooping cough"). The severe coughing spells can last for several weeks to two months or longer. In older children, adolescents and adults the symptoms are usually milder and without the typical whoop.

What are the complications associated with pertussis?

In infants less than 6 months of age, the most common complication is bacterial pneumonia (17%) followed by neurologic complications such as seizures (2.1%) and encephalopathy (0.2 %). Loss of weight from nutritional disturbance and dehydration is also a complication from the disease. More than half of the infants with confirmed pertussis require hospitalization.

How soon do symptoms appear after exposure?

Usually 7-20 days.

When and for how long is a person able to spread pertussis?

Pertussis is most contagious in the early stage of the illness before the onset of the explosive coughing spell.  The spread of pertussis may be up to three weeks after onset of the cold-like symptoms or up to three weeks after the onset of the explosive coughing spells. The spread period can be reduced to 5 days after the initiation of a 14 day course of appropriate antibiotic therapy administered in the early stages of illness.

Is there treatment for pertussis?

There are three antibiotics recommended for the treatment of pertussis that will shorten the period of communicability. A 14 day course of erythromycin, trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxozale (TMP/SMX) or clarithromycin is recommended. Persons with pertussis should be isolated until they have received at least 5 days of a minimum 14 day course of antibiotics. They do not require isolation for the last 9 days of antibiotic treatment.

How can the spread of pertussis be prevented?

Treatment is recommended for well persons who are close contacts (especially household contacts) of the case to prevent or reduce the severity of illness. Any untreated contacts of a case that develop a persistent cough should be tested for pertussis. Confirmed or suspected cases of pertussis that do not receive appropriate antibiotics should be isolated for 3 weeks.

How is pertussis confirmed?

Confirmation is by laboratory culture of a nasal swab obtained during the early stage of illness.

How can pertussis be prevented?

Routine immunization of infants and children with acellular Pertussis (aP) vaccine is recommended at 2, 4, 6 and 15-18 months of age with a booster dose at 4-6 years of age. It is given in a combination with Diphtheria and Tetanus vaccines called DTaP. The effectiveness of the vaccine in children who have received at least 3 doses is estimated to be 80%; and protection is even greater against severe disease. Protection will begin to diminish after about 3 years. Persons who experience pertussis after immunization usually have a milder case. DTaP vaccine is currently recommended for children 2 months through 6 years of age. The current Pertussis vaccine should not be administered to anyone 7 years of age or older because vaccine reactions are more frequent. A safe and effective acellular pertussis vaccine for adolescents and adults is under development but not yet available.

Does past infection with pertussis make a person immune?

Confirmed pertussis is likely to confer immunity. However, the duration of immunity from past infection is unknown.

For more information contact your Local Public Health Department.

Last Revised:  December 14, 2007
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Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services