Pertussis ("Whooping Cough")
Overview: Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious but vaccine preventable bacterial disease that causes severe coughing spells. It is most often seen in infants and young children, but it can occur at any age. It usually starts with typical cold symptoms of cough and runny nose, but in a week or two the cough becomes worse. Sometimes there are coughing fits followed by vomiting or a high pitched “whoop”. Adults often have milder symptoms.
Pertussis is spread thru the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Without treatment, the infected person can spread the disease for 21 days after the cough begins.
Covering the mouth during coughing spells and frequent hand washing can prevent the spread of this disease – as well as many other types of infections..
Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics. After 5 days of treatment, the person is no longer contagious. Infected persons should stay home and not go to class or work until they have completed at least 5 days of antibiotics.
When Pertussis is suspected a swab from the back of the nose will be sent for testing and the person will be treated with an antibiotic. If the test is positive, Pertussis is confirmed. Since Pertussis is so highly contagious, close contacts of infected persons are also treated with antibiotics. The public health department notifies people who have been exposed to confirmed cases of Pertussis.
While young children are routinely vaccinated for Pertussis, the immunity wears off with age. A new vaccine for adults has recently been developed and approved. It is recommended for college students, parents with young children, health care workers, and anyone interested in avoiding this disease.
What Thielen Student Health Center Can Do For You: Our doctors and nurses are familiar with the signs, symptoms, and treatment of Pertussis. If you suspect you have, or have been exposed to, Pertussis you may call the health center and discuss your symptoms with our triage nurse. If the doctor suspects you have Pertussis, they will take a nasal swab for testing and start antibiotic treatment.
The health center also has the new vaccine for prevention of Pertussis. You may call for an appointment with the treatment nurse if you are interested in receiving this vaccine.
Resources
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pertussis
- Iowa Department of Public Health: Pertussis
Last update: 11 Dec 2007
For more information, please contact:
Iowa State University
Thielen Student Health Center
515-294-5801
