Whooping cough is on the rise in the U.S., including the Philadelphia area. Staying up to date with your vaccinations can help protect you and your loved ones.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, comes as a vaccine in a combination with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines. The combo vaccination is known as tdap. Most people complete the initial series of vaccinations when they are young and the CDC now recommends a tdap booster every ten years for adults. Whooping cough can infect people at any age but those who are unvaccinated or are too young to be fully vaccinated are at most risk for serious complications, including death. It is important to make sure you are up to date with your tdap booster if you are spending much time around little ones as they most often contract the disease from a caretaker or family member. Expectant moms can get the tdap booster after the 20^thweek of pregnancy or may be offered it immediately after delivery.

Whooping cough is spread from person to person by respiratory droplets, such as through coughing and sneezing. Droplets usually don’t travel more than three feet so reasonably close contact is required. Initial symptoms are similar to that of the common cold: runny nose, sneezing, and a mild cough. The cough then worsens to bouts of spasmodic coughing sometimes followed by a deep forced inhalation which can sounds like a ‘whoop.’ This phase of coughing can last one to six weeks, though sometimes up to ten weeks. Being vaccinated reduces the risk of contracting whooping cough and can decrease the severity of symptoms. If you have close contact with some with a confirmed diagnosis of whooping cough please contact the office, prophylactic antibiotics may be administered regardless of vaccination status.

For more information visit http://www.cdc.gov/features/Pertussis/