Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Cases of whooping cough (pertussis) have been confirmed on UC’s Uptown campus and in the Cincinnati community. Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
Whooping cough is spread through person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets released during coughing and sneezing. Symptoms usually develop within 5 to 10 days after exposure, but sometimes not for 21 days.
Whooping cough can have severe consequences for infants, pregnant individuals, and those with a compromised immune system or a condition, like asthma, which would worsen with pertussis infection.
Get Vaccinated
Immunity from vaccination or natural infection wanes over time. Adults 19 years of age and older should receive a Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/acellular pertussis) vaccination or a Tdap or Td (tetanus/diphtheria) booster every 10 years.
University Health Services (UHS) offers pertussis (Tdap) vaccinations for students.
Call 513-556-2564 to schedule an appointment. Grocery and drugstore pharmacies also offer Tdap vaccines.
Symptoms
Early stage (first 1-2 weeks) syptoms of whooping cough include:
- No fever or low-grade fever
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Mild cough
- Apnea/stopping breathing in infants
Later stages (2 weeks +) symptoms of whooping cough include:
- Persistent, fits of coughing. Sometimes this is followed by the deep breath in that makes a “whoop” sound. Cough may last weeks to months.
- Vomiting during or after coughing fits
- Fatigue and other respiratory issues