Primary Care
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A slight cough in the winter usually isn’t a cause for concern—most people feel under the weather at some point during the colder months.
But what happens when the cough becomes severe and persistent?
Dr. Austin Williams, a primary care provider, explains whooping cough and what you can do to protect yourself and others this season.
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough, formally called pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection with three distinct phases:
- Catarrhal: A cold with a runny nose, low-grade fever, and mild cough. This typically lasts one to two weeks.
- Paroxysmal: Severe and persistent coughing fits with a “whoop” sound after coughing as it’s difficult to draw in a breath. This normally lasts one to six weeks.
- Convalescent: Several weeks or even months of a lingering, mild cough.
Like other common illnesses, whooping cough is spread through respiratory droplets in the air. Someone with whooping cough is contagious once their symptoms begin to roughly two weeks after their coughing starts.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can get whooping cough. But, according to Dr. Williams, it’s much more dangerous for babies than for adults.
“The scary thing for babies and why we treat this a little differently than other illnesses is that the coughing can go on so long that if they don’t take a breath, they can get anoxic brain injury.”
Because babies do not have strong enough respiratory systems to keep their airways open during cough fits, it is much harder for them to catch a breath.
The TDAP vaccination
The whooping cough vaccination is part of the Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). It’s recommended that adults get their Tdap booster every ten years. Pregnant women should get vaccinated in their third trimester, as well as their partners and anyone else who will care for the baby.
According to Dr. Williams, whooping cough cases have steadily increased in recent years because people aren’t getting vaccinated.
“Generally,” he says, “people aren’t aware that they haven’t had it or aren’t up to date.”
When in doubt, it’s best to check with your doctor to see if you’re due for your Tdap booster. Getting vaccinated not only keeps you healthy, but it also stops the spread of whooping cough and protects those most vulnerable to the infection.