Whooping cough (also called pertussis), is a serious infection that spreads easily from person to person. The infection causes coughing spells that are so severe that it can be hard to breathe, eat, or sleep. Whooping cough can even lead to cracked ribs, pneumonia, or hospitalization. In the past, whooping cough was largely controlled by infant and childhood immunization. It is now known that protection from childhood whooping cough vaccination wears off by the teen years. Adolescents and adults are at risk for the infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), worldwide, there are an estimated 16 million cases of pertussis and about 195,000 deaths per year. Since the 1980s, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases of pertussis in the US.
CDC recommends that adults and adolescents receive one dose of a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) booster vaccine to protect against whooping cough, as a substitute for the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) booster recommended every 10 years. This is especially important for those in contact with infants younger than 12 months of age. Vaccination of pregnant women with Tdap during every pregnancy is especially important to help protect infants.
Whooping cough can be:
Fact: This serious infectious disease is on the rise in the United States, across all age groups. Fact: Protection against whooping cough from early childhood vaccines wears off. Adolescents and adults are at risk for infection. Fact: Whooping cough causes coughing spells that can affect breathing, eating and sleeping. The infection can even lead to cracked ribs and hospitalization. Fact: Adults and adolescents can spread whooping cough to young infants who have not had all their vaccines. Babies are at greatest risk for serious complications, even death. Fact: Two booster vaccines for whooping cough are now available. One can be used for adults and adolescents. The other has been approved for adolescents only.
This serious infectious disease is on the rise in the United States, across all age groups.
Protection against whooping cough from early childhood vaccines wears off. Adolescents and adults are at risk for infection.
Whooping cough causes coughing spells that can affect breathing, eating and sleeping. The infection can even lead to cracked ribs and hospitalization.
Adults and adolescents can spread whooping cough to young infants who have not had all their vaccines. Babies are at greatest risk for serious complications, even death.
Two booster vaccines for whooping cough are now available. One can be used for adults and adolescents. The other has been approved for adolescents only.
adolescentvaccination.org
Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
Learn about the burden of pertussis (whooping cough) in the US and the importance of being vaccinated to help prevent the disease [2017]
Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC): Resources include clinical resources, patient education tools, and outbreak information
Indiana Immunization Coalition (IAC)
Pertussis information in Spanish for parents from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
In-depth information from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)