How is pertussis treated

Our service is free and we are here to help you. Pertussis Treatment and Prevention. Section Menu. How Is Pertussis Treated? Pertussis Prevention. Learn More. Previous: Pertussis Symptoms and Diagnosis. Make a Donation Your tax-deductible donation funds lung disease and lung cancer research, new treatments, lung health education, and more.

Make a Donation. Sign Up for Email Updates Join over , people who receive the latest news about lung health, including COVID, research, air quality, inspiring stories and resources. Because pertussis may progress rapidly in young infants, treat suspected and confirmed cases promptly.

However, treatment is ineffective if started late in the course of illness. Quickly report cases of pertussis to the local public health department to assist with preventing additional cases.

Early empiric treatment is important for infants. Related Pages. Expert Commentary. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.

CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a serious respiratory infection caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.

The infection causes violent, uncontrollable coughing that can make it difficult to breathe. While whooping cough can affect people at any age, it can be deadly for infants and young children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , before a vaccine was available, whooping cough was a major cause of childhood deaths in the United States. The CDC reports the total number of cases of pertussis in was just under 18,, with 7 deaths reported. The incubation period the time between initial infection and the onset of symptoms for whooping cough is about 5 to 10 days, but symptoms might not appear for as long as three weeks, according to the CDC.

Early symptoms mimic the common cold and include a runny nose, cough, and fever. Within two weeks, a dry and persistent cough may develop that makes breathing very difficult. Whooping cough is highly contagious — bacteria can become airborne when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or laughs — and can quickly spread to others. To diagnose whooping cough, your doctor will perform a physical exam and take samples of mucus in the nose and throat.

These samples will then be tested for the presence of the B. A blood test may also be necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. You should take precautions, like practicing good hand hygiene and keeping surfaces clean. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Pertussis Whooping Cough. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Diagnosis and Treatment.

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