Whooping cough is highly contagious – here’s how to recognise it and protect yourself and others
WORDS: ALI GRAVES AND LUCY ROBINSON PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
We’ve all experienced an annoying cough – those tickly ones that are hard to shift in the night, or the ones that hit a bit harder in the chest – but there’s an older one doing the rounds and it’s spreading like wildfire.
Whooping cough – or the 100-day cough – is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis and as of March 2024, data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there has been a continued increase in whooping cough cases since the start of this year.
The condition triggers severe coughing fits that often end in a whooping sound when the person breathes in. Dr Johannes Uys, a doctor at Broadgate GP, warns that at first many think it’s just a common cold.
“It seems harmless enough but then the infection progresses to severe and prolonged coughing fits. If left untreated, whooping cough can lead to complications like pneumonia, weight loss, urinary incontinence and rib fractures from severe coughing. In rare cases, it can be life-threatening, especially in infants and older adults.”
Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at charity Asthma + Lung UK, agrees. “It can be difficult to tell the difference between the infection and a head cold and hay fever at first.”
The infection starts in what is known as the Catarrhal stage – like a common cold – followed by the Paroxysmal stage with intense, exhausting coughing, then the Convalescent stage.
For little ones, things can become more complicated, says Dr Uys. “Infants are the most vulnerable group, with the infection potentially leading to breathing difficulties, seizures and neurological complications. To avoid putting others at risk, you should ensure that those around you are up-to-date on their vaccinations.”
We delve deeper to understand more about the contagious cough…
1 WHAT IS IT?
“Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes,” says NHS GP Dr Sanjeev Kalia. “It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems.”
The bacteria attach to the cells of the upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as a runny nose, a sore throat and a cough.
Dr Whittamore explains that things then get a lot worse.
“After a two-week period, the cough bec
