Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been on the rise in various countries, including the U.K., Australia and China. The U.S. has not seen similar upticks yet, although a few isolated outbreaks have been reported in 2024, as can be expected each year.Related: Why do coughs linger after a cold?
The infection can spread when ann infected person's coughs or sneezes, spewing bacteria into the air. It's thought that people are contagious from the start of their symptoms and for at least two weeks after they begin to cough. However, people with mild symptoms may not realize they have whooping cough and thus may unwittingly spread it to others.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?The symptoms of whooping cough typically appear within five to 10 days of a person being exposed to B. pertussis, although they can sometimes take weeks to develop. Early symptoms of the infection can last a week or two and include a runny, stuffy nose; low-grade fever; and mild cough. Then, people can develop"paroxysms of coughing," violent coughing fits that can keep happening for about one to six weeks, and up to 10 weeks in some cases.
Notably, countries currently experiencing whooping cough outbreaks have different vaccine schedules than the U.S. The U.K. gives kids only four vaccine doses — three when they're infants and one when they're toddlers. The country also recommends the vaccine to pregnant people. In China, children are given three doses before they're 6 months old and then a booster at 18 months; no further boosters are recommended for older age groups.
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Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »