If you ever hear someone with a whooping cough, you probably won’t forget it. The distinctive sound of the cough is memorable — and unfortunately, you’re more likely to hear it now. Whooping cough rates are on the rise around the country, and cases more than doubled in Tennessee in 2024.
“Whooping cough is a common illness that starts like the common cold,” says Dr. Ian Bushell, a family medicine physician and medical director for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “However, it’s more serious than many people realize.”
What is whooping cough?
Dr. Bushell: Whooping cough, or pertussis, is an upper respiratory virus caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. People spread it when they cough, sneeze or even breathe heavily.
Once you’re infected, it takes about seven to 10 days for symptoms to develop. Whooping cough starts with cold-like symptoms. These can include a runny nose, cough and mild fever. Unfortunately, it progresses from there. You’ll start to have coughing fits. These can become so intense that you may find yourself gasping for air between coughs. That’s where the name “whooping cough” came from. Some people cough so violently that they throw up. You may cough more often at night, too, which can make you feel exhausted.
Whooping cough is very contagious, so it’s easy to spread to vulnerable people. It’s especially dangerous for babies who haven’t yet been vaccinated against pertussis. It can even be fatal. People who are immunocompromised or have asthma are more vulnerable to serious complications.
FDA video: what whooping cough sounds like
Treatment for whooping cough
Dr. Bushell: If left untreated, the infection can get a lot worse and last as long as 10 weeks.
The good news is that whooping cough is treatable with antibiotics. The earlier you get treated, the better. Sometimes, doctors treat family members who have been exposed to reduce the chance they’ll spread the disease.
More good news: Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease. The combination vaccine called Dtap or Tdap, which stands for “tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis,” protects against all three diseases. It’s part of the routine childhood and adult vaccination schedule, and it’s important to make sure you’re up to date. In fact, you should specifically ask for the Tdap vaccine when you get a tetanus shot. Then you’ll be protected, and you’ll be less likely to spread the disease to vulnerable people, like a new baby.
Women who want to become pregnant need to make sure they’ve recently received a booster. If they’ve had a booster, they’ll produce antibodies that they can share with their developing babies. Their newborns will be protected by their mothers’ antibodies for the first two months of life before they can get vaccinated, too. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure about your vaccination status.
WellTuned: what vaccines a child needs when
The Tdap vaccine has been around for a long time, and it’s well-tolerated.
“You might have a sore arm or some achiness for a day or two, but you might not even experience that,” Dr. Bushell says. “And you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you are less likely to get or spread a very contagious and serious illness.”
More from Dr. Bushell on WellTuned
Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.