Whooping cough first materializes much like any other case of the flu or cold. A runny nose, a low grade fever, mild coughing and sneezing are the top symptoms when whooping cough first sets in. After a couple of weeks the cough becomes much worse, people will have coughing fits that can last for up to a minute and the disease gets its name because when the coughing has subsided the person with the disease will generally make a whooping sound when they inhale.

The disease used to be much deadlier than it is today, killing anywhere between 5,000-10,000 people per year in the United States. Now that a vaccine has been developed the number of deaths numbers in the tens only. As for who is susceptible? Anyone can catch Whooping Cough and it is transmittable like any other bacterial infection. The disease is especially hard on the very young and very old, much like other respiratory diseases.

It is the disease of respiratory mucous membrane. It also called as pertusis. It is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.The disease is named for the characteristic sound produced when affected individuals attempt to inhale; the whoop originates from the inflammation and swelling of the laryngeal structures that vibrate when there is a rapid inflow of air during inspiration.Mostly children and old age people are more susceptible to whooping cough rather then adults.

I can remember having this unpleasant illness when I was about six. I caught it from the kid next door.The coughing bouts can last for ages and are typified by the weird whooping sound made by the sufferer trying to catch their breath.

It is also more unusually called pertussis and is highly infectious. It is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria.

It usually affects babies and young children, it is less severe and rarer in adults. It is most severe in babies and can be fatal. There is now a vaccination which is usually given to infants, so it is less widespread now.

The usual treatment is antibiotics, rest and plenty of fluids. In a very severe case the doctor may also prescribe corticosteroid medication to help reduce the congestion.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a potentially deadly bacterial infection that can strike at any age, but is particularly dangerous for babies. The sounds of pertussis are like no other, marked by a “whoop” made when gasping for breath after a severe coughing attack. To be fully protected against pertussis, children need four doses of the DTaP vaccine by 15-18 months of age. It is important to follow the recommended schedule as babies are vulnerable to infection until fully vaccinated. Most children who are vaccinated with DTaP will be protected throughout childhood.

Whooping cough, otherwise known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system, particularly the respiratory passages. An infected person typically displays symptoms that include a cough with a characteristic “whoop”, or spasm, that is made as the coughing person attempts to inhale. Whooping cough is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among those who remain unimmunized when they come in contact with the coughed or sneezed droplets of an infected person. Fortunately, childhood immunizations tend to prevent an acquisition of pertussis, especially for the at-risk group of children ages five and below. However, even those immunized against this illness can at times become susceptible to an infection with the Bordetella pertussis bacteria if exposed to extreme conditions. Although pertussis was once considered to be primarily a childhood illness, it is now clear that even adolescents and adults are susceptible to the bacteria causing this illness. Fortunately, the illness runs a less severe course in adults, posing somewhat less risks to them than to a younger population. Pertussis can be fatal, especially among the younger age groups, when complications develop. Young children, whose immune system may not yet be as well developed, can develop bacterial pneumonia, one of the more common but also most severe complications of pertussis. Bacterial pneumonia in young children is the leading cause of pertussis-related death in those infected with the bacterium. Others may experience bluish skin due to a lack of oxygen, ear infections, nose bleeds, or collapse of a lung (among many others) as a result of a pertussis infection.