If you have asthma, protecting yourself from whooping cough, a bacterial infection (Bordetella pertussis) is important. Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory illness that can cause uncontrollable coughing that can make it hard to breathe.^1,2

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can begin like a common cold. The coughing can last for weeks and even months after you get sick, and at times can produce a “whooping” like sound between and after coughing.³

The people at highest risk are:

• Babies younger than 1 year old
• People with pre-existing health conditions, such as immunocompromising conditions and moderate to severe asthma¹

What Are Symptoms of Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough symptoms are similar to cold symptoms, especially early on. This can make it difficult for doctors to recognize the infection as whooping cough and treat it until more symptoms begin to appear.⁴

Early symptoms: last around 1 to 2 weeks

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Low grade fever
• Mild, occasional cough

For babies, whooping cough may look like a common cold throughout the course of the illness. In others, many may not develop a cough. Instead, they may develop apnea, or pauses in their breathing. Apnea may cause their lips or fingertips to turn blue, purple, or gray (also called cyanosis) and they may struggle to breathe.

Later symptoms: last around 1 to 6 weeks

• Uncontrollable coughing fits
• High-pitched “whoop” sound when they inhale after a coughing fit
• Vomit during or after coughing fits
• Feel very tired after the coughing fit
• Trouble sleeping at night
• Difficulty breathing
• Bruised or cracked ribs

The coughing fits usually develop 1 to 2 weeks after the first symptoms start. The uncontrolled coughing fits can last 1 to 6 weeks but can also last for up to 10 weeks.^2,3,4

What does whooping cough sound like? (FDA) ^[14]

What Are Emergency Symptoms of Whooping Cough?

Some signs and symptoms of whooping cough need emergency medical care right away.

Call 911 if your child has any of these emergency symptoms:

• Pauses in breathing or trouble breathing
• Cyanosis – tissue color changes on mucus membranes (like tongue, lips, and around the eyes) and fingertips or nail beds – the color appears grayish or whitish on darker skin tones and bluish on lighter skin tones
• Not waking up, not interacting, or not conscious
• Serious or constant coughing
• Severe dehydration

Get urgent medical care (go to an urgent care or emergency room) if your child has:

• Symptoms that seem to improve but return with worse fever and cough
• Irritable and difficult to comfort (along with other whooping cough symptoms)
• Other severe or concerning symptoms as listed above

Babies younger than 1 year old are at greatest risk of getting whooping cough. This is usually spread to them by an adult or older child. It can also cause serious complications such as apnea, pneumonia, seizures, and rarely, brain damage or death. Because infants are at greatest risk of complications, they are more likely to need treatment in a hospital.

Young children, teens and adults can also get complications, especially people who have moderate to severe asthma. Some complications may be side effects from strenuous coughing such as bruised or cracked ribs.^4,5

How Is Whooping Cough Diagnosed?

Your doctor may order a lab test to confirm if you have whooping cough. Just like testing for the flu or COVID, the lab test involves taking a sample of mucus from the back of the throat or nose. They may also order a blood test if necessary.^1,6

​What Is the Best Treatment for Whooping Cough?

Most whooping cough symptoms can be managed at home, but to treat it, you may need antibiotics. Your doctor will discuss different antibiotic treatment options that are available. Generally, whooping cough is treated with azithromycin or other drugs in that class of antibiotics. It is important to treat whooping cough early, before the coughing fits begin. Treating it early can lower the severity of the illness and help stop the spread of bacteria to others you come into contact with.

For some people, whooping cough can be very serious and cause complications, especially for infants and those with moderate to severe asthma. If your whooping cough symptoms worsen or do not get better, talk with your doctor. You may need care in the hospital.

Cough medications and syrups are usually not recommended to treat or lessen the cough in whooping cough.^3,7

How Does Whooping Cough Spread?

Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria,  Bordetella pertussis, that spreads easily from person to person through the air. These bacteria travel in the air and can land in the mouths, eyes, or noses of nearby people. Less often, whooping cough can spread by touching something (such as doorknobs or tables) with the bacteria on it or by shaking hands and then touching your mouth or nose.

You can spread whooping cough before you know you are sick while you are sick. People can spread the bacteria from the start of symptoms and for at least 2 weeks after coughing or symptoms begin.^1,2,3

In hospitals and health care settings, staff must wear a mask around people with pertussis. If they have contact with the body, they must also wear gowns and gloves to prevent it from spreading by droplets in the air. If you are exposed to a known pertussis case, you should be given azithromycin as a preventative treatment within 21 days, even if you have been vaccinated.

​Are People with Asthma at High Risk for Complications from Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough can affect your lungs and airways if you have asthma. It can cause inflammation (swelling) and narrowing of your airways. These changes could trigger or worsen asthma symptoms, such as cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

People with asthma are at a higher risk of having other health problems from the whooping cough, such as pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by viruses or bacteria. It can be serious for people with asthma. 

​Is Whooping Cough a Common Illness?

Whooping cough is common in the United States, and it is not uncommon to hear about outbreaks since it spreads easily from person to person. Outbreaks of whooping cough can happen in different settings such as¹:

• Schools and childcare centers

• Hospitals

• Large geographic areas like cities

​How Can I Prevent Whooping Cough?

The best way to protect against whooping cough is to get a vaccine. These vaccines work well, but their protection can fade over time so you may need a booster*.

DTaP vaccines are usually given when you are young (2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months, then 4 to 6 years) and are part of the vaccine series for babies.^2,8 However, because the protection fades by the time most people reach adolescence, an additional booster (Tdap) is given around 11 to 12 years of life.

How Can I Protect Myself and Other People from Whooping Cough?

Here is what you can do to avoid whooping cough:

1. Get the DTaP/Tdap vaccine. Everyone should get the whooping cough vaccine, with few very exceptions. Vaccines are the best way to protect against whooping cough.

2. Get the vaccine booster. Pertussis vaccines are very effective, but after a while, like all vaccines, it can lose its potency. The most crucial booster comes at age 11 to 12. This is about the time when the childhood protection starts to drop. Teens and adults with falling pertussis protection have been noted to pose the biggest risk to babies. If you haven’t received a booster vaccine since you were a baby, you may consider a booster. If you are immunocompromised or have moderate to severe asthma, you may consider speaking with your health care provider about a booster.

3. Prevent exposure. Whooping cough can be very contagious. Wash your hands well for at least 20 seconds and often (or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available), don’t touch your face, and don’t share food or utensils. If possible, avoid people who are sick. Wear a mask when you are in close contact with someone who is ill or in crowded indoor spaces when whooping cough is spreading. And stay home if you are sick to prevent spreading to other people. In health care settings where you will be contact with someone with pertussis, wear a gown and gloves for additional protection. If you have been exposed to someone with pertussis in the past 3 weeks, you should receive azithromycin treatment proactively even if your vaccines are up to date.

4. Talk with your doctor. Update your Asthma Action Plan ^[15] with your doctor so you know what to do if you get sick.

5. If you get sick with whooping cough symptoms, call your doctor right away. People with asthma can quickly become sicker with any respiratory illness. Your doctor may recommend treatment with an antibiotic and/or a change to your regular asthma treatment.^1,2,3,5

Who Should Get the Whooping Cough Vaccine?

​People of all ages need whooping cough vaccines. There are different vaccines for different ages. There are 2 types of combination vaccines that protect against whooping cough:

• DTaP: Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (babies and young children)
• Tdap: Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pre-teens, teens, adults)

All whooping cough vaccines are combination vaccines designed to protect against multiple diseases. When the DTaP vaccine is given to young children, it is given in stages to babies and young children (2, 4, 6, 12, 15 to 18 months, 4 to 6 years). For older children and adults, the Tdap vaccine can be given to pre-teens (11 to 12 years), people who are pregnant, and adults who have never had the vaccine. You can also boost your protection against whooping cough by getting a Tdap booster.

If you get the whooping cough vaccine, you are less likely to catch whooping cough. And if you do get sick with whooping cough even though you got the vaccine, you are more likely to recover quicker and easier, as well as have a lower risk of complications. The whooping cough vaccine can also help reduce you or your child’s risk of severe illness from more than one respiratory infection.

See the CDC’s full guidelines on the whooping cough vaccine  ^[16]for more information.^1,2,7,8