Whooping Cough: Everything You Need To Know
Whooping Cough also called Pertussis is a disease that is fortunately almost eradicated in the UK. The introduction of a UK-wide Whooping Cough vaccination offered to all pregnant women in 2012 when a national epidemic was declared. This vaccination programme saw a dramatic fall in the number of babies infected with whooping cough. This year, sadly, there have been 5 reported deaths as a result of whooping cough, an increase from 0 reported cases between 2019 and today.
There have been no reported babies who have died from Whooping Cough since 2019, however, a recent outbreak in several areas of Europe has prompted alerts to parents to advise them of the importance of having the vaccine in pregnancy, and to highlight the symptoms and what action to take in the event that Whooping Cough is suspected in their baby.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) aims to detect outbreaks of disease and epidemics as rapidly as possible and issues a list of all diseases that are notifiable; Whooping Cough is one of these due its severity. Notifiable diseases are those that, when suspected, even if not yet confirmed, requires health providers (usually by law) to report to Public Health England (PHE).
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system which spreads rapidly and can lead to serious complications, including death. The most vulnerable groups are babies under 6 months old, the elderly, those who are immunocompromised, and those who are unvaccinated.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
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Cold-like symptoms; runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and sometimes a low-grade temperature that may be present for a week or longer before other symptoms present.
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Coughing bouts that are persistent often lasting for minutes and which is often worse at night.
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A clearly identifiable "whoop" sound which is made when the patient is gasping for breath between coughs. It is important to note that some people, especially young babies may not have the "whoop.”
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Might experience a difficulty with their breathing after a coughing bout and may turn blue or grey (young infants) or very red in the face (adults)
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May cough up a thick mucus or may vomit.
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Symptoms are likely to be less severe and resolve more quickly if the person has been immunized or has had whooping cough before.
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People with immunity (from vaccination or natural disease) may experience shorter and milder symptoms, but do not have lifelong protection.
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Symptoms are often worse at night; the cough can last for several weeks or even months. If the cough does not improve or worsens you may need hospital treatment.
You are contagious from about 6 days after the start of cold-like symptoms to 3 weeks after the coughing starts. If you start antibiotics within 3 weeks of starting to cough, it will reduce the time for which you are contagious.
Treatment for Whooping Cough
Whooping cough is a potentially serious condition, if you are diagnosed with whooping cough within 3 weeks of the infection it is likely you will be prescribed a course of oral antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading to others rather than to ease the symptoms. You should also be advised to stay at home for 3 weeks, avoid nurseries, schools, or the elderly, again to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others.
Whooping cough in a baby under the age of 6 months can be life-threatening so it is likely they will require admission to hospital for treatment which may include suctioning to clear their airways, and supplementary oxygen.
If untreated, people typically remain infectious for 21 days from the start of symptoms.
Top Tips
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Get plenty of rest.
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Maintain good levels of hydration.
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Simple pain relief like Calpol or paracetamol can help.
The whooping cough vaccination
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Pregnant mothers can protect their babies from birth by having the whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy. The optimal timing for the vaccination is between 16–32 weeks, but can be given right up to birth, although ideally at least two weeks before to give the antibodies time to cross the placenta to your baby.
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It is important to be vaccinated with every pregnancy.
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The immunity you gain from the vaccine will be passed to your baby via the placenta. This will help protect your baby in the first few vulnerable weeks of life until they are old enough to have the vaccine at 2 months of age.
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No vaccination guarantees 100% protection, but studies have shown that the vaccine is over 90% effective in protecting your baby from whooping cough until their vaccinations start.
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Children aged 8, 12, and 16 weeks as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine as part of their routine immunisations and at 3 years and 4 months as part of the 4-in-1 pre-school booster.
It is quite common to get mild side effects at the injection site, such as swelling, redness or tenderness. Serious side effects are extremely rare but as always if you are concerned that either you or your baby have had a severe reaction (rash, hives, swelling of the face, mouth or throat, lethargy, fever, dizziness, pain) you are advised to seek medical review; Pharmacist, GP, 111, A&E.
