In plain words
Pertussis is a contagious infection of the airways, also called whooping cough. It starts like a cold and then causes long fits of coughing. Many older children and adults have a mild form, but young babies can get very sick. Some babies do not whoop at all. Instead they may stop breathing for a moment, turn blue, or vomit after coughing. Babies under one year old are the most at risk. The CDC recommends that pregnant people receive a in each pregnancy, usually between 27 and 36 weeks, because it passes protection to the baby. Call your provider right away if a baby has these signs.
The deeper version
Pertussis is caused by Bordetella pertussis, a gram-negative coccobacillus that produces toxins affecting the respiratory epithelium and the central control of breathing. Infants under 6 months have the highest risk of hospitalization, pneumonia, and death, and may present with rather than the paroxysmal whoop. ACIP recommends Tdap in each pregnancy at 27 to 36 weeks, which produces antibodies that transfer across the placenta and provide infant protection before the primary series starts at 2 months (CDC, 2019 recommendation, with subsequent updates). The AAP Red Book (Kimberlin et al., 2024) describes diagnosis by PCR and culture and recommends antibiotic treatment and contact prophylaxis per its guidelines. , or vaccinating household contacts, is a standard prevention strategy.
Where it comes up
- Vaccines: the baby's schedule and who around the babyBaby Basics
- Newborn breathing, congestion, and the noseBaby Basics
- Visitors and boundariesSupport, Home, and Village
- When to call the pediatrician (and when to go in)Baby Basics
- Fever in a newborn is an emergencyBaby Basics
What mothers here say about pertussis
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Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — ACIP recommendation: Tdap vaccination during pregnancy (2019 and subsequent updates)
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Red Book: 2024-2027 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, Pertussis chapter