Half of the babies who catch whooping cough before they are one year old will need to spend time in the hospital. The disease can be fatal, though deaths are rare. Children under 6 months are particularly at risk of complications such as pneumonia, seizures, and kidney damage or stopped breathing for a short amount of time.
Transmission occurs from person to person via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or has close contact with others.
Symptoms are very similar to a common cold and include fever, sneezes, runny nose, and sore throat, which develops within the first week. Bouts of uncontrollable coughing lasting several minutes can occur up to a few months.
Prevention:
Proper handwashing.
Minimizing contact with people who have a bad cough.
Vaccination is highly recommended for children and adults, particularly for pregnant women.