The Signs and Symptoms of Pertussis

By Dr. Jay Schwartz

The Signs and Symptoms of Pertussis

Also known as whooping cough, pertussis is an upper respiratory tract infection that begins with mild cold symptoms and progresses to a violent cough, sometimes combined with vomiting. The primary characteristic is the hacking cough followed by a sharp “whoop,” or intake of breath. 

The Signs and Symptoms of Pertussis

Deaths from the illness are rare, although whooping cough can be extremely dangerous in unvaccinated infants under the age of six months. While antibiotics are ineffective once the classic “whooping” has begun, they can help to limit how far the illness spreads. The best prevention is a pertussis vaccine, which is administered in several doses. Before the pertussis vaccine was developed, the illness killed between five thousand and ten thousand people in the United States annually. Currently, fewer than thirty people die from pertussis each year. 

About Dr. Jay Schwartz

Dr. Jay Schwartz has seventeen years of professional experience treating pediatric patients at his clinic in Frisco, Texas. Pertussis vaccination information and schedules can be found on the Collin County Pediatrics website, www.collincountypediatrics.com.