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Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Pertussis (whooping cough) is easily spread by coughing and sneezing. It causes spells of coughing that make it hard for a child to eat, drink, or breathe. The cough is often followed by a "whooping" sound, which is how the disease got its common name. Vomiting can also follow a long coughing spell. Pertussis can cause pneumonia, serious brain damage, and death.

The disease is most serious in infants, especially those who are too young to get the vaccine or who are not fully protected. Babies with pertussis are often hospitalized. With older kids and adults, the disease can be quite mild or can cause several weeks of exhausting coughing. Babies usually get pertussis from family members or caregivers who don't realize they have the disease. The number of reported pertussis cases has been on the rise in recent years in Washington State.

Protecting infants and young kids from pertussis:

Anyone with a severe cough, especially if it includes fits of coughing or causes vomiting, should seek medical care. There is a vaccine to prevent pertussis in older kids and adults called Tdap. People in close contact with babies should get the vaccine to help protect themselves and babies. Anyone with a cough should avoid being around infants. Not all coughs are pertussis, but without testing, it's better to avoid the possible exposure. If it's not possible to avoid being around infants, cough into a tissue, then wash your hands thoroughly, or wear a surgical mask to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Scientific Term

  • Pertussis

Generic Term

  • Whooping Cough

Age Groups at Risk

  • All

Fact Sheets

Vaccine Information

Ages birth to seven: DTaP or DT Vaccine

  • Kids should be immunized in the first 18 months of life with a four-shot series of the combination vaccine, DTaP. It includes diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Kids who get all four doses before their fourth birthday should get a fifth dose before starting kindergarten or elementary school. The fifth dose isn't necessary if the fourth dose was given on or after the fourth birthday. This combination vaccine is not given to people over age seven.
    • DT vaccine is available for kids under seven who can't tolerate the pertussis (whooping cough) component.

Ages 7-10: Tdap Vaccine

  • Kids aged 7-10 years who aren't fully immunized against pertussis (such as, those who didn't complete a series of pertussis-containing vaccine before their seventh birthday) should get a one-time dose of Tdap vaccine.

Ages 10 and up: Tdap or Td Vaccine

  • One dose of Tdap vaccine is recommended for adolescents aged 11 or 12 years in place of one Td booster. Kids in Grades 6 or 7 who are at least 11 years old are required to show proof of Tdap vaccination if it has been five years since they got a tetanus-containing vaccine (DTaP, DT, or Td). One dose of Tdap vaccine is also recommended for older adolescents aged 13-18 years and adults aged 19 through 64 years.

Vaccine Information Statements

There is no separate Vaccine Information Statement for combination vaccines.

Related Information

Department of Health:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Sounds of Pertussis

 

Last Update: 02/07/2012 09:59 AM