What is pertussis and why is it called whooping cough?

Pertussis is a bacterial infection that causes severe, uncontrollable coughing fits. It's called 'whooping cough' because of the characteristic 'whoop' sound people make when gasping for air between coughs. In infants, the disease can be life-threatening, causing apnea (stopped breathing) without the classic whoop.

How does pertussis spread?

Pertussis spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It's extremely contagious - people with pertussis typically infect 12-17 close contacts. You can spread the disease from early infection stages, often before you even know you're sick.

What are the stages of pertussis?

Pertussis has three stages: 1) Catarrhal stage (1-2 weeks): mild cold-like symptoms. 2) Paroxysmal stage (1-6 weeks): severe coughing fits with the 'whoop' sound, vomiting after coughing. 3) Convalescent stage (weeks to months): gradual recovery, though coughing can persist for months.

Is the pertussis vaccine effective?

Yes, the DTaP vaccine (for children) and Tdap booster (for adolescents and adults) are effective at preventing pertussis. However, immunity wanes over time, which is why boosters are recommended. Vaccinated people who do get infected typically have much milder symptoms and are less likely to spread the disease.

Why are pertussis cases increasing?

Pertussis cases fluctuate in 3-5 year cycles, and waning immunity from childhood vaccination contributes to adult cases. Increased awareness and better diagnostic testing also reveal more cases. Vaccination remains the best protection, especially for pregnant women to protect newborns.

Where are pertussis outbreaks occurring?

Pertussis outbreaks can occur anywhere, often in schools and communities with lower vaccination rates. Check the live outbreak data above for current pertussis activity in your region.

Washington

Pertussis in Washington

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It causes severe coughing fits that can last for weeks or months.

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¿Qué es Pertussis?

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, gets its name from the distinctive 'whooping' sound made when gasping for air after a coughing fit. Before the vaccine was developed, pertussis was a leading cause of childhood death worldwide. Today, it remains a serious threat, especially to infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated.

Síntomas

Initial cold-like symptoms (runny nose, mild fever)
Severe, uncontrollable coughing fits
Whooping sound when gasping for air
Vomiting after coughing
Exhaustion after coughing fits
Apnea (pauses in breathing) in infants

Transmisión

Pertussis spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is highly contagious, especially in the first two weeks when symptoms resemble a common cold. Close contact with infected individuals poses the highest risk.

Período de Contagio: From early cold-like symptoms through 3 weeks after coughing begins (or 5 days after starting antibiotics)

Prevención

DTaP vaccine for infants and children (5 doses by age 6)
Tdap booster for adolescents (age 11-12) and adults
Tdap during each pregnancy (27-36 weeks) to protect newborns
Isolation of infected individuals
Prophylactic antibiotics for close contacts
Practice respiratory hygiene and handwashing

Washington Recursos de Salud

Información del departamento de salud local y orientación de prevención específica del estado

Estamos Monitoreando Washington

Nuestra vigilancia impulsada por IA monitorea continuamente la actividad de Pertussis en todo Washington. Rastreamos datos de departamentos de salud estatales, hospitales locales, informes del CDC y más de 50 fuentes de salud globales para proporcionar advertencia temprana de amenazas emergentes.

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Washington Departamento de Salud

Para alertas oficiales de salud del estado, ubicaciones de vacunación y orientación de salud pública específica de Washington, visite el sitio web del departamento de salud de su estado.

→ Washington Departamento de Salud → CDC Pertussis Information → CDC Health Topics

Understanding Pertussis: Key Questions

Ya sea que viva en Washington or are traveling there, knowing the symptoms, timeline, and when to seek care helps you act quickly if exposure occurs.

Cuándo Buscar Atención Médica

Seek care if you experience severe dehydration, bloody stools, high fever, or symptoms lasting more than 3 days. Children under 5, adults over 65, and immunocompromised individuals should seek care earlier.

Síntomas de emergencia: Severe dehydration, inability to keep fluids down for 12 or more hours, or neurological symptoms require emergency care.

Recursos Expertos y Referencias

Información confiable de las principales organizaciones de salud

CDC

Orientación oficial de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de EE. UU.

Ver Recursos del CDC →

WHO

Vigilancia global de enfermedades y directrices de la Organización Mundial de la Salud

Ver Recursos de la OMS →

Investigación

Últimas investigaciones revisadas por pares y estudios clínicos

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Contenido Revisado Médicamente

La información sobre enfermedades en Virus Watcher es revisada por nuestro Epidemiólogo Jefe, ex analista principal del CDC para el pronóstico FluSight. Los datos de brotes se agregan de fuentes verificadas incluyendo BEACON, ProMED, OMS, CDC y más de 50 agencias nacionales de salud. Esta información es con fines educativos y no debe reemplazar el asesoramiento médico profesional.

Última revisión: 2026-08-13

Recent Pertussis Reports

No confirmed cases reported in Washington yet. Here are the latest Pertussis reports from our global surveillance network.

Thousands of children in Kenya have been left vulnerable to deadly childhood diseases after repeated vaccine shortages disrupted immunisation programmes over the past five years. The shortages affected vaccines that protect babies from illnesses that can quickly become life-threa…

Kenya · 2026-07-16

Most adults think of whooping cough as a vintage childhood disease or something you only need to worry about if you're visiting a newborn. And the most dangerous myth most of us accept as truth? That the immunisations we received as children protect us for life. But during 2024 a…

Australia · 2026-07-13

This event envelope contains reports on pertussis in Cameroon. *Source: BEACON* - [View Full Report](https://beaconbio.org/en/event/?eventid=e49f779c-4858-4373-a136-c0cd6c4074c1)

Cameroon · 2026-04-25

An estimated 13.5 million "zero-dose" children, including 679,000 in India, did not receive a single vaccine in their first year in 2025, according to the annual WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) released on Wednesday. Nigeria topped the chart with 2…

World · World · 2026-07-16

This event envelope contains reports on pertussis in Guam. *Source: BEACON* - [View Full Report](https://beaconbio.org/en/event/?eventid=5bd064e8-9bd0-428a-988f-02ed49f308f8)

Guam · 2026-04-14

From the day a baby is born, vaccination becomes one of the most important conversations during the infant's first year. Certainly, the conversation is just as important.Vaccines have transformed child health across the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), imm…

India · 2026-07-31

CINCINNATI -- Meridian Bioscience, Inc., a leading global provider of diagnostic testing solutions and life science raw materials, announced today that Health Canada has granted a license for its Alethia® CMV assay. The addition of CMV expands Meridian's existing Alethia menu, wh…

Canada · 2026-07-15

July 15 (Reuters) - Global childhood vaccination rates rose slightly in 2025, yet millions of children remained unprotected against preventable diseases as conflict, funding cuts and growing outbreaks undermined immunization efforts. According to the latest immunization estimate…

World · World · 2026-07-15

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