Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a disease that affects the lungs. Pertussis bacteria are spread from person to person through droplets produced during coughing or sneezing. A person with pertussis develops a severe cough that usually lasts four to six weeks or longer. Pertussis can be very serious, especially in infants.
What are the symptoms of pertussis?
The first symptoms of pertussis are similar to a cold: sneezing, a runny nose, possibly a low-grade fever, and a cough. After one or two weeks, the cough becomes severe, such as:
- The cough occurs in sudden, uncontrollable bursts where one cough follows the next without a break for breath.
- A high-pitched whooping sound occurs when breathing in after a coughing episode. Whooping is less common in infants, adults, and people who have received pertussis vaccine.
- Vomiting during or after a coughing spell.
- The person's face or lips may look blue from lack of oxygen.
- The cough is often worse at night.
- Between coughing spells, the person seems well, but the illness is exhausting over time.
- Coughing episodes gradually become less frequent, but may continue for several weeks or months until the lungs heal.