Whooping Cough Fact Sheet: Vaccinations, Symptoms, Treatment

As of Nov. 14, health officials reported 99 cases of whooping cough among McHenry County residents.

The cases are reported mainly among school-aged children but also affecting an infant as young as 3 months old up to a 37-year-old. 

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, according to the Center for Disease Control. 

Below are several tips on what types of vaccinations are recommended, as well as the symptoms and treatment for whooping cough. 

What vaccinations do health professionals recommend for adults, children, teens?

• The DTap vaccine is recommended for infants/children to guard against whooping cough. The vaccine is given in five doses, typically when a child is 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 months old, 15 to 18 months old and 4 to 6 years old.
• The Tdap vaccine is for everyone older than 11 years old. If you get one vaccine after 11 years old, it should protect you for the rest of your life, said Debra Quackenbush, community information coordinator for the McHenry County Department of health. 
• Vaccines are 80 percent to 85 percent effective in guarding against pertussis, which means there is still a chance you can get whooping cough, even if you have been properly vaccinated, Quackenbush said. 
• If you are a child, teen or adult who has been fully vaccinated and still get whooping cough, your case should be a lot milder than someone who has not been vaccinated.

What are the symptoms and complications of whooping cough?

• Early on, the symptoms for whooping cough are similar to symptoms for the common cold: a runny nose, cough and mild fever. Those symptoms can last one to two weeks.
• From there, the cough can become more severe and will produce what sounds like a whoop or a bark, Quackenbush said. Severe coughing fits can continue for up to 10 weeks for some. The coughing fits can result in exhaustion and cause some to vomit.
• Those with whooping cough symptoms should visit a doctor and make sure they are tested for whooping cough. A nasal swab is typically used to test for pertussis and the health care provider should be able to tell the patient on the spot if he/she has whooping cough.
• The CDC has detailed information on the progression of symptoms for those with whooping cough on its website.

Complications

Whooping cough is most dangerous for babies — half of infants younger than 1 year old with pertussis will be hospitalized, according to the CDC.

The CDC reports the likelihood of the following complications among infants and children:

• 1 in 5 get pneumonia (lung infection)
• 1 in 100 will have convulsions (violent, uncontrolled shaking)
• Half will have apnea (slowed or stopped breathing)
• 1 in 300 will have encephalopathy (disease of the brain)
• 1 in 100 will die

Less than 5 percent of adults are hospitalized for pertussis. The CDC reports the likelihood of the following complications among adults:

• Weight loss: 33 percent
• Loss of bladder control: 28 percent
• Passing out: 6 percent
• Rib fractures from severe coughing: 4 percent

How is whooping cough treated?

• Antibiotics are typically prescribed for those with whooping cough.
• Anyone who has a confirmed case of whooping cough needs to stay home from work or school for five full days, Quackenbush said.
• Those living in the household also should be up to date on vaccines and on antibiotics to prevent the spread. 

Sources: McHenry County Department of Health Community Information Coordinator Debra Quakenbush, MCDH website, Center for Disease Control's pertussis webpage