Experts expect an outbreak of pertussis in the coming months in the United States. They urge family members to get vaccinated to protect infants from the disease. Share on Pinterest Public health officials are bracing for a potential epidemic of whooping cough this spring. The disease, also referred to as pertussis, peaks every few years in the United States. The most recent peak year was in 2012 when slightly more than 48,000 cases were reported. In 2016 by comparison, 17,972 cases were reported in the United States. “This year is likely to be an epidemic year,” Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California Davis Children’s Hospital, told the Sacramento Bee. “We would expect toward late spring, a ramping up of cases.” Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease characterized by an uncontrollable, violent cough that makes it difficult to breathe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been an increase in the number of reported cases of whooping cough since the 1980s. A 2010 peak saw an increase in the number of children aged 7 to 10 with whooping cough. This trend has continued in the years following. The most recent peak in 2012 had the highest number of cases since 1955, when 62,000 cases were reported.

A dangerous illness Whooping cough can be life threatening, especially in infants. But early symptoms can often be overlooked as something minor. “Initially, whooping cough looks like a common cold. The first stage can last as long as a week. The second stage is the stage in which we see paroxysms or spasms of cough that create the classic whoop sound. Frequently, this is followed by vomiting. Usually whooping cough is an afebrile disease, meaning most children do not get a fever during the illness,” Dr. Jaime Friedman, a pediatrician at the Children’s Primary Care Medical Group in California, told Healthline. Friedman says if a parent is worried about their child’s breathing or other symptoms, they should see a doctor as soon as possible. If they fear their child has been exposed to whooping cough, they should call their doctor’s office to discuss steps that should be taken. It’s also important to look for signs that symptoms are from more than just a cold. “Any cough that causes shortness of breath, lasts longer than two weeks, or is accompanied by fever for more than three to five days should be checked,” Friedman said. “Parents should watch the child’s breathing, as breathing should be passive. Any sign that the child is using extra effort to breathe needs to be seen. If the muscles in between the ribs are sinking in, the child needs to be seen. Whooping cough can cause apnea, this is when a child stops breathing for a short period of time. If that happens, call 911.” Whooping cough is typically spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing, or when spending a lot of time in the same breathing space with a person who is infected. Those who become infected with whooping cough are most contagious for up to two weeks from when their cough begins. But many babies who become infected with whooping cough are infected by siblings, caregivers, parents, or family members who are unaware they have the disease. Whooping cough can be life threatening for infants. “Whooping cough is most dangerous to infants because they can’t receive the vaccine until they are two months old. They typically do not show the regular symptoms, which is why it’s so hard to diagnose. About 50 percent of infants who come down with whooping cough have to be treated in a hospital. In serious conditions, infants can stop breathing and turn blue, possibly progressing to a lung infection or even death,” Dr. Jean Moorjani, a pediatrician at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Florida, told Healthline.