What is pertussis?
Pertussis (widely known as whooping cough) is very contagious. Prior to the vaccine (DTaP ―diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis), pertussis caused 200,000 illnesses and 8,000 deaths in the United States every year. Now the annual rate is down to about 7,000 cases and 10 deaths. Today the disease is common in teens and young adults, and young children can catch it from other people living in their home. Prevent this disease by keeping current with your DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine. From the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, 2000.
