Pertussis, whooping cough, is a communicable respiratory disease that is on the rise. Here is a recent article outlining the recent increase in cases. I will follow that with some prevention advice. It is a miserable respiratory disease that probably won’t kill you, but if you catch it early it can shorten the duration of the illness. The problem is that it presents with symptoms much like the common cold making it hard to know that it is pertussis. Antibiotics don’t have much impact later on and the cough may go on for months. Antibiotics are still used to make the patient less infectious. It is sometimes referred to as a hundred-day cough.
At the close of April, Texas already outpaced last year’s rates of pertussis, or whooping cough, posing another serious threat to infants and immunocompromised patients as measles, too, continues to spread in the state.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) so far has reported 1,060 cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, outpacing the rate seen in 2024, which saw 1,928 cases of pertussis total.
“We’re seeing more pertussis cases now than we have in over a decade, and it’s not just numbers on a chart – it’s real kids, real families, and preventable loss,” said Janeana White, MD, a member of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Infectious Diseases and the deputy public health authority in Houston.
In Texas schools that report immunization rates to DSHS, 93.48% of students are fully vaccinated with Tdap, and 94.04% are fully vaccinated with DTaP, the vaccines that protect against pertussis. However, these numbers fall just short of the recommended 95% rate to achieve community immunity, the point at which immunocompromised people are protected. The Tdap vaccine is for children 7 years old and older, adolescents, and adults, while the DTaP vaccine is given to children between 6 weeks to 6 years of age.
Hector Ocaranza, MD, a member of TMA’s Council on Science and Public Health and El Paso’s health authority, says it’s important for a pregnant mother to get the Tdap vaccine so her baby receives protection from the disease. Dr. Ocaranza is reminding Texans of the importance of the “cocooning” strategy – vaccinating people who are near newborn babies to protect them until they are old enough to receive their own shots.
“In a majority of cases, pertussis is transmitted to infants from the parents or the grandparents. So, it’s important that everyone in the family is up to date on their vaccinations,” Dr. Ocaranza said.
CDC recommends adults receive a booster dose of the Tdap vaccine every 10 years.
As vaccination rates wane, physicians warn vaccine-preventable diseases can come back as seen in some areas in Texas. By far most of Texas’ current measles outbreak cases are among people who were not known to be vaccinated, according to DSHS.
The rise in whooping cough in Texas follows a larger – and more drastic – national trend. More than 8,000 cases have been reported so far in 2025 per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this time last year, over 4,200 cases were reported nationwide.
Karl Serrao, MD, a pediatric critical care physician and president of the Nueces County Medical Society, says the last time he witnessed an outbreak in whooping cough was in 2013-14. Now, the potentially fatal respiratory disease has come to his home of Corpus Christi.
“When we see these kids coming in, they’re having these distressing coughing fits. Babies can experience pauses in breathing,” he said.
TMA continues to monitor the rise in pertussis. Read Texas Medicine Today for updates and visit TMA’s Infectious Diseases webpage for more news and resources.
WHILE THE TDAP IS GIVEN EVERY 10 YEARS, IMMUNITY FROM THE PERTUSSIS COMPONENT WANES AFTER ABOUT 5 YEARS. So, it
may be reasonable to get it after 5 years if you are going to be around infants.
Tdap booster for previously vaccinated individuals — Immunity to pertussis infection wanes 5 to 10 years after completing the childhood vaccination series. Because of steadily increasing cases of pertussis in adolescents and adults, in 2005 the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended booster vaccination for all adolescents and adults [42,43]. This is particularly important for those with close contact with infants, as well as for health care workers and pregnant women during each pregnancy
Here is some additional information from UpToDate:
What is whooping cough?
This is an infection that causes a severe cough. It can spread easily from person to person. It is also called “pertussis.”
Doctors recommend babies and children get the vaccine to prevent whooping cough. They also recommend:
●Most adults get 1 dose of the vaccine
●Pregnant people get 1 dose during each pregnancy
It’s especially important to be vaccinated if you have a newborn or spend a lot of time around babies.
Teens and adults can get whooping cough if they did not get the vaccine. They can also get it if it has been a long time, usually 10 years, since they were vaccinated.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
Symptoms depend on how long you have had the infection:
●Early on, whooping cough usually causes sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, and other cold symptoms. It also causes a mild cough.
●After 1 to 2 weeks, the cold symptoms get better, but the cough gets worse. People have severe coughing attacks. Sometimes, they cough so hard they vomit or pass out.
Whooping cough gets its name because many people, especially babies and children, make a “whoop” sound when they breathe in after a coughing attack. But not everyone makes this noise.
●After 2 to 6 weeks, the cough starts to get better. But it can take weeks to months for the cough to go away completely.
Symptoms are often more severe in babies and children, and milder in teens and adults.
Sometimes, whooping cough can lead to other problems, such as:
●Pneumonia (lung infection)
●Ear infection
●A broken rib, hernia, or back pain from coughing so hard
Will I need tests?
Maybe. Your doctor or nurse should be able to tell if you have whooping cough by talking with you, hearing your cough, and doing an exam.
They might also do tests, like:
●Testing a sample of mucus from the back of your nose or throat
●Blood tests
●Chest X-ray
How is whooping cough treated?
Treatment depends on several things, including the person’s health and how long they have had a cough. Some people get antibiotics. These can help the infection get better faster and keep it from spreading to others.
People living with the infected person might also need to take antibiotics, even if they aren’t sick. This can help keep them from getting the infection, too.
What can I do on my own to feel better?
You should:
●Get plenty of rest.
●Drink lots of fluids.
●Eat small meals to avoid vomiting after coughing.
●Avoid smoking and being around people who are smoking.
How can I prevent spreading whooping cough?
You should:
●Cover your mouth when you cough, or wear a mask when you are around other people.
●Wash your hands often.
●Make sure the other people in your home get the whooping cough vaccine if they haven’t had it.
●Stay home from work or school until the doctor or nurse says it’s OK to return. If you work with young children or babies, do not go back to work until you have been on antibiotics for 5 days.
What if I am pregnant?
If you are pregnant and get whooping cough, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. This will help you get better faster. It will also lower the risk of passing the infection on to your baby after birth.
When should I call the doctor?
Call the doctor or nurse if you have whooping cough and:
●Feel short of breath
●Get a high fever
●Vomit over and over again
●Get dehydrated – This is when the body loses too much water. It can make you feel thirsty, tired, dizzy, or confused and have dark yellow urine.
You should also call the doctor or nurse if you think someone in your home might have whooping cough. That way, they can get treatment as soon as possible.
