Who can get pertussis?
Pertussis can occur at any age. It is most common in infants less than 1 year old, but anyone can get it. Pertussis can be hard to diagnose in teens and adults because their symptoms often look like a cold with a nagging cough. How is pertussis spread? Pertussis is spread through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Other people breathe in infected droplets. What are the symptoms of pertussis? Pertussis starts like a cold with symptoms of runny nose and an irritating cough. Within 1 – 2 weeks the cough develops into coughing fits. The fits are a series of violent coughs during which the victim struggles for breath. A gasping for air, which produces a high-pitched whooping sound, follows the coughing. The coughing fits occur more frequently at night, and are often followed by vomiting. Between spells, the person usually appears to be well. Adults, teens, and vaccinated children may have milder symptoms that look like bronchitis. How long is an infected person able to spre
