Symptoms:Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a disease that affects the lungs. Pertussis bacteria are spread from person to person through the air. Pertussis often begins with symptoms similar to the early stages of the common cold – runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a mild cough. After a week or two, a persistent cough develops, the cough occurs in bursts and may end with a high-pitched whoop and sometimes vomiting. Between bursts of coughing, the person appears well. Coughing attacks may continue for 4 to 6 weeks and are more common at night. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, particularly in infants. Very young infants, older children, teens and adults may not show these symptoms.
Actions:
People with a cough illness lasting a week or longer should be evaluated by a health care provider. If the health care provider feels that the person may have pertussis, the person should stay home from childcare, school, sports, work and other activities until 5 days of antibiotics have been taken. Your health care provider may recommend that children under 7 years of age who are not up to date on DTaP immunizations be vaccinated now or if your child has not received the fifth dose of DTaP vaccine and it has been at least three years since the fourth dose of DTaP vaccine, he/she may recommended that the fifth dose be given now.
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Find more information about Pertussis (Whooping Cough) at the Minnesota Department of Health at http://www.health.state.mn.us/immunize