What should I do if pertussis is diagnosed?
People infected with pertussis are most contagious during the earliest stages of the illness up to about two weeks after the cough begins. Antibiotics shorten the period of contagiousness to five days following the start of treatment. “If pertussis is diagnosed, people should stay home from school or work for the first five days they are on antibiotics – and those in close contact with them should also be treated,” Dr. Hall said. Pertussis can be especially threatening to infants and children, pregnant women, older adults or anyone with a weakened immune system. The first symptoms of pertussis are often similar to those of a common cold – a runny nose, sneezing, a dry cough and feeling feverish. But unlike a cold, the symptoms persist and, after one to two weeks, the dry, irritating cough often gets stronger and the person may develop coughing “fits” that last for more than a minute. At the end of a spell, the person may make a characteristic whooping sound when breathing in. For some
