What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a respiratory infection that spreads easily from one person to another. It's also known as pertussis.

Whooping cough often starts with cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, fatigue (tiredness) and a mild cough. After 1 to 2 weeks, most symptoms improve, but the cough becomes worse. It can take months for the cough to go away completely.

In Australia, most cases of whooping cough happen during spring and summer. Epidemics (a sudden increase in cases) of whooping cough usually happen every few years.

Whooping cough can cause serious health problems, especially in babies and young children. Vaccination is the best protection against whooping cough.

This article includes advice for people aged 5 years and above. You can find information about whooping cough during pregnancy and in babies and younger children on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

What are the symptoms of whooping cough?

Whooping cough usually begins with cold-like symptoms, including:

• runny nose
• sneezing
• mild dry cough
• fever (a temperature of 38°C or more)
• fatigue (tiredness)

These symptoms often start to improve after 1 to 2 weeks, but the cough usually becomes worse. The most well-known symptom of whooping cough is the 'whoop' sound. Taking a quick breath between bouts of coughing can cause this sound.

The cough usually comes in long, uncontrollable bursts. When the cough is severe, it may cause:

• vomiting
• broken ribs
• fainting
• hernia
• urinary incontinence (poor bladder control)
• difficulty sleeping

It usually takes 7 to 10 days for symptoms to appear after you have been exposed to the bacteria. In some cases, it can take up to 21 days for symptoms to appear.

What causes whooping cough?

Whooping cough is caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. It can spread easily from person to person through:

• droplets, when an infected person coughs or sneezes
• direct contact with someone who is infected, such as by shaking hands

You are contagious with whooping cough for:

• 3 weeks after the cough starts
• 5 days after you start taking antibiotics

If anyone in your household has whooping cough, they should not attend childcare, school or work. This is to prevent spreading the infection to others.

Talk to your doctor if you are unsure if you or your child can return to work or school.

Who is at risk of whooping cough?

Anyone can catch whooping cough. Some people have a higher chance of catching whooping cough, including:

• healthcare workers
• early childhood educators and carers
• people in close contact with infants
• people who have not been vaccinated against whooping cough
• people who have not received a whooping cough booster vaccine in the past 10 years
• people living in the same house as someone with whooping cough

Whooping cough is most dangerous for babies under 6 months of age. Most hospital stays and deaths from whooping cough happen in babies who are not old enough to receive all the vaccine doses.

When should I see my doctor?

You should see your doctor if you think you or your child has whooping cough. This is to make sure you get the correct diagnosis and treatment.

If you or your child has had close contact with someone who has whooping cough, speak to your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to reduce your chance of becoming infected. This is especially important for:

• young children
• people who have a weakened immune system
• people likely to pass the infection to children, such as childcare workers

If you think you have whooping cough, tell the medical receptionist before your appointment. This way, staff can take steps to help prevent the spread of infection.

How is whooping cough diagnosed?

Your doctor will:

• ask you about your symptoms
• ask if you have been in contact with someone who has whooping cough
• listen to your breathing

If the doctor thinks you may have whooping cough, further testing might be needed. This may include a:

• nose or throat swab
• blood test

How is whooping cough treated?

Self-care at home

You can help improve your symptoms at home by:

• getting plenty of rest
• drinking water or other fluids — small sips may be easier to manage between bouts of coughing
• avoiding cigarette smoke

Medicines for whooping cough

In some cases, antibiotics are used to help treat whooping cough. Antibiotics may:

• speed up your recovery, although this is not always the case
• reduce your risk of spreading whooping cough to others

Even if they are not diagnosed with whooping cough, antibiotics may also be given to some people who have had close contact with whooping cough. This includes:

• women in the last month of pregnancy
• babies less than 6 months of age

Other treatment options

Some people may need to be admitted to hospital for treatment of whooping cough. This includes babies under 6 months of age and anyone who experiences severe complications.

Should I keep my child home from school?

Yes, the recommended school exclusion period is 5 days after they have started antibiotics, or 21 days from the beginning of their cough.

What are the complications of whooping cough?

Health complications from whooping cough are rare, but may include:

• pneumonia (lung infection)
• seizures (fits)
• encephalopathy (brain damage) due to breathing problems or seizures

Most complications due to whooping cough occur in babies who are too young to be vaccinated.

Can whooping cough be prevented?

Whooping cough vaccine

The best protection against whooping cough is vaccination. The whooping cough vaccine:

• prevents most cases of serious illness
• reduces the number of cases of whooping cough in the community
• protects people who can't get vaccinated by limiting the spread of infection

The whooping cough vaccine is free:

• for children, through the Childhood Immunisation Schedule
• during pregnancy, through the National Immunisation Program

Vaccines against whooping cough are available as a combination vaccine. Talk to your doctor about which vaccine is right for you.

Can I have the whooping cough vaccine if I'm pregnant?

The whooping cough vaccine is safe if you're pregnant.

You should have the whooping cough vaccine between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy. Vaccination at this stage of pregnancy means you will pass on whooping cough antibodies to your growing baby. This gives the baby protection after birth — even before they are old enough to have the vaccine themselves.

If you are pregnant, ask your doctor or midwife about vaccination.

Other people who will have contact with your baby should consider having the whooping cough vaccine. This includes:

• partners
• grandparents
• carers

Contact tracing

Whooping cough is a notifiable condition. This means that your doctor may tell the local health authorities if you are diagnosed with whooping cough. This is called contact tracing, and it helps public health authorities to:

• identify possible sources of infection
• prevent further cases

Resources and support

Visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website, for more information about:

• immunisation in Australia
• where to get vaccinated and what to expect
• how to check your immunisation history

The Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation website has videos and other tools to help you make decisions about immunisation.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.