Public Health

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