Last Updated:
By ensuring that infants, children, adolescents, and adults are up to date on their pertussis vaccinations, we can collectively protect the most vulnerable members of our community
Vaccination remains the most effective strategy for preventing pertussis and protecting infants and young children
Whooping cough – or pertussis – is a very serious respiratory (lungs and breathing tubes) infection caused by the pertussis bacteria. It causes violent coughing fits that are difficult to stop. Whooping cough is most harmful to young babies. Until recently, pertussis had not been recognized as an important public health challenge in India due to the success of the infant immunization program. However, India still accounts for a large proportion of the world’s cases, and increasing reports of pertussis in other countries and in neonates have renewed interest in the disease among Indian authorities. Dr. Praveen Khilnani, Chairman, Critical Care Paediatrics (PICU), Paediatric Pulmonology, Paediatric Care, Medanta, Gurugram, shares all you need to know:
Resurgence of Pertussis
Before the widespread availability of the pertussis vaccine, the disease was a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. A contributing factor to its resurgence is the phenomenon of “cocooning,” where adults and adolescents, who may have waning immunity or be asymptomatic carriers, unknowingly transmit the bacteria to unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated infants.
The Impact on Infants and Young Children
Pertussis is particularly dangerous for infants under one year old. Their immune systems are not fully developed, making them highly susceptible to severe complications. Whooping cough often starts with symptoms like a runny or stuffed-up nose, sneezing, mild cough, and apnea in babies, which can initially be mistaken for allergies or seasonal flu. Severe coughing typically begins after 1 to 2 weeks. Babies and children may then develop more serious problems, such as difficulty breathing, eating, drinking, or sleeping due to coughing fits, turning blue during coughing from lack of oxygen, and vomiting after coughing episodes. Coughing fits can last up to 10 weeks and may recur with subsequent respiratory illnesses.
Vaccination: The Key to Prevention
Vaccination remains the most effective strategy for preventing pertussis and protecting infants and young children. India offers both whole-cell pertussis and acellular pertussis vaccines, but vaccine coverage remains inconsistent across regions due to differences in vaccine availability, access to healthcare, and regional administrative challenges. The best way to protect against whooping cough is by getting the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot (also called the DTP shot). Doctors recommend that all children receive the vaccine on schedule.
Additional Preventive Measures
Beyond vaccination, practicing good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes, can help reduce the spread of pertussis. Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are also crucial to shorten the duration of illness and prevent further transmission.
Over the last two decades, there has been a resurgence of pertussis even though primary immunization with the pertussis vaccine is widely practiced. The resurgence underscores the critical importance of maintaining high vaccination rates. By ensuring that infants, children, adolescents, and adults are up to date on their pertussis vaccinations, we can collectively protect the most vulnerable members of our community and prevent the devastating consequences of this preventable disease.
