Whooping Cough Information for Consumers
What is whooping cough?
- Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a serious infection that spreads easily.
- This infection can cause severe coughing spells.
What are the symptoms?
- Early symptoms of whooping cough are like the common cold.
- Whooping cough causes coughing that last for weeks, even months.
- Coughing spells can lead to problems breathing, eating and sleeping.
- In serious cases, coughing may cause broken ribs or hospitalization.
Why is it called whooping cough?
- A "whoop" sound may occur while gasping for breath during a bad coughing spell.
- Among adults and adolescents, whooping cough without the "whoop" is common.
How many people get whooping cough?
- Whooping cough is on the rise in the United States, across all age groups.
- More than 20,000 cases were identified in the U.S. in 2005, but the vast majority go unreported.
- Experts estimate there may actually be up to one million cases every year.
Who is at risk for whooping cough?
- Adolescents and adults are at risk for infection, because protection from childhood whooping cough vaccination wears off by the teen years.
- Babies under 12 months of age who may not be fully vaccinated against whooping cough.
How is whooping cough spread?
- Whooping cough spreads easily through close contact with others.
- Parents and grandparents are often the source of whooping cough in babies.
- Babies are vulnerable until they are fully vaccinated (earliest 7 months).
- Babies are at greatest risk for serious complications and death.
How can whooping cough be prevented?
- Whooping cough is most contagious before the coughing starts, so the best way to prevent it is through vaccination.
- The whooping cough booster vaccine for adults and teens is called Tdap.
- The childhood vaccine is called DTaP.
- Both protect against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria.
- All adolescents and adults should receive the new whooping cough booster vaccine.
Where can I get my booster vaccine?
- The whooping cough booster is new, so call your doctor before your next appointment to make sure it is in stock.
How do I ask my doctor for the whooping cough booster vaccine?
The whooping cough booster vaccine for adults and teens is called Tdap, which stands for tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis. This vaccine protects against three diseases that need boosting over the years.
- Tetanus: The "T" in the Tdap vaccine
- Tetanus (also called lockjaw) is caused by common bacteria in the environment, including soil and most surfaces.
- Tetanus bacteria can enter the body through any open wound - even small cuts or scrapes.
- The most common form of tetanus causes paralysis. Symptoms include: neck stiffness, problems swallowing, and muscle spasms.
- Diphtheria: The "d" in the Tdap vaccine
- Diphtheria is highly contagious and spread from person to person.
- Bacteria infect the throat and tonsils, where they produce a poison that can cause heart failure and paralysis.
- Diphtheria still circulates in the United States and is common in 87 countries.
- Pertussis (whooping cough): The "ap" in the Tdap vaccine
- It is highly contagious and easily passed through close contact.
- Symptoms often (but not always) appear within seven to 10 days after exposure.
- It can have serious consequences across all age groups.
Who should get Tdap (whooping cough booster) vaccine?
Health officials now recommend that adolescents and adults receive a Tdap booster vaccine to protect against whooping cough instead of the previously recommended Td (tetanus-diphtheria) booster. It is especially important for those in contact with infants younger than 12 months of age.
Immunization Schedules
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that health care providers follow the recommended immunization schedules for children, adolescents and adults. The vaccination schedules, one for children and adolescents and the other for adults, provide a comprehensive summary of recommendations for vaccine-preventable diseases.
The schedules are designed as a convenient, up-to-date tool for health care providers to assess the vaccine needs of children and adult patients during office visits, and indicate the appropriate times to administer vaccines.
Childhood/Adolescent Immunization Schedule, Including Catch-up Schedule
Adult Immunization Record
The Immunization Action Coalition has designed an easy-to-carry tri-fold adult immunization record card making it easier for people to record their vaccinations and review when they need to be updated. To obtain a sample adult immunization record, please visit: Immunization Action Coalition's Adult Immunization Record Card
Resources
» National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
» Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
» Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP)
» Parents of Kids With Infectious Diseases
» Pertussis.com
» Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
» Mayo Clinic
» National Public Radio interview with Dr. Jeanne Santoli of the CDC