Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

If you have any queries or concerns about vaccines please contact your GP or local health office


What is Whooping Cough?

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Whooping cough is also known as pertussis.  The disease causes long bouts of coughing and choking making it hard to breathe. The child may turn blue from lack of air, or vomit after a coughing spell.Between these coughing spells a child gasps for air causing the characteristic ‘whoop’ sound. Not all children get the ‘whoop’.  A child with whooping cough can have difficulty eating, drinking or even breathing. The disease can last up to three months.  Whooping cough is most serious in babies under 12 months of age, often requiring admission to hospital and may be fatal.

How do people get whooping cough?

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Whooping cough is a very contagious disease, it is very easily spread from person to person. It is caused by bacteria called  Bordetella Pertussis that live in the mouth, nose and throat. Pertussis is spread by personal contact, coughing and sneezing. Infection is often transmitted to young children in the home from older siblings or adults who may be harbouring the bacteria in their nose and throat.

Who gets whooping cough?

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Whooping cough can occur at any age.  Although most reported cases occur in children less than five years, cases are reported amongst adolescents and adults every year. Cases when they do occur are usually non-vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children. Many reported cases occur among infants, some of whom are too young to have received the three primary doses of vaccine necessary to provide protection.  

How serious is whooping cough?

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Whooping cough is a serious illness and may result in death.   More than half of the babies under one year with whooping cough are hospatilised. Of the people who get whooping cough

• 1 in 500 die from pneumonia or brain damage. (90% of deaths are in children under the age of 6 months)
• 1 in 125 will have fits (1in 70 if less than 6 months)
• 1 in 1000 will get encephalitis (Degenerative brain disease) (1 in 500 if less than 6 months old)
• 1 in 20 will get pneumonia (1 in 10 if less than 6 months)
• 1 in 5 will need to go to hospital (1 in 2 if less than 6 months)
• Serious illness is less common in older children.

What are the symptoms of Whooping Cough?

Different parts of the body may be affected including the lungs and brain. 

Respiratory (Breathing).

Most cases of pertussis involve some degree of collapsed lung and/or pneumonia.   Babies may stop breathing.  Pneumonia may be severe enough to lead to death.  Approximately half the deaths from pertussis are due to pneumonia.  Those who survive usually do not experience permanent lung damage.

Central nervous system (Brain)

There may be altered consciousness or convulsions. This is most likely due to a lack of oxygen or small amounts of bleeding into the brain.   Death, permanent brain damage or full recovery are equally likely to result from this form of the disease.   Around half of babies under 6 months who have whooping cough may be admitted to hospital.  Up to 1 in 70 babies can suffer convulsions.  Around 1 in 1000 may develop encephalopathy (a degenerative brain disease).

Nutritional (Feeding)

Frequent vomiting and loss of appetite may result in severe weight loss.

How can pertussis be prevented?

The most important way to prevent pertussis is by immunisation. Currently in Ireland, the vaccine for pertussis is usually given as part of the “5-in–1” vaccine (DTaP-HiB-IPV). This vaccine protects against pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and polio. Three doses of the “5-in-1” vaccine are usually given at two, four and six months of age. A fourth dose is recommended at 4-5 years. In the past, before the introduction of the “5-in-1” vaccine, DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis)vaccine was used to protect against pertussis. If your child requires vaccination, or you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, contact your GP for advice.

Is the pertussis vaccine safe?

• 1 in 10 have redness and swelling where the injection was given or have a fever.
• About 1 in 2500 may cry for more than thee hours after immunisations.
• More serious side effects, such as fitting may occur in 1 in 12,500 children vaccinated. Most of these events have no long-term consequences.
• Very rarely, severe nervous system problems have been reported.

If your child requires vaccination, or you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, contact your GP for advice.

Where can I find out more?

You can ask for further information regarding immunisation from your G.P., Public Health Nurse or Local HSE clinic.See the National Immunisation Guidelines of Ireland 2002,

Chapter 11 for more detailed information on tetanus vaccination at http://www.ndsc.ie

See the Health Protection Surveillance Centre web site for more detailed information on Pertussis Available on http://www.ndsc.ie