🧒 PaediatricsInfectious diseaseStudentInternResident

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Also known as: whooping cough · Bordetella pertussis · 100-day cough

A highly contagious respiratory infection by Bordetella pertussis — catarrhal coryza then paroxysmal coughing fits with an inspiratory 'whoop' and post-tussive vomiting. Young infants may present with apnoea rather than a whoop. Vaccine-preventable.

Source · Reviewed 2026-08-15 · v1.0— AI-assisted draft — verify against the cited guideline before clinical use.

⚕️ Education only — not medical advice. Verify against the latest official guideline and your local protocol; confirm every drug dose against the cited source before clinical use.

Who gets it

Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated infants (highest risk of severe disease), and older children/adults with waning immunity (who form a reservoir).

Red flags — escalate / refer

Apnoea, cyanosis or poor feeding in a young infant, pneumonia, seizures, or exhaustion → admit; infants under a few months are high-risk.

Work-up / diagnosis

1Suspect it in a prolonged paroxysmal cough with whoop, post-tussive vomiting or apnoea.
2Confirm (nasopharyngeal PCR/culture), especially early; a lymphocytosis may be seen; notify.

Management — overview

A macrolide antibiotic given early (mainly reduces transmission and helps if given in the catarrhal/early phase).
Supportive care, with admission and monitoring for young infants (apnoea, feeding, oxygen).
Antibiotic prophylaxis for close/vulnerable contacts; isolate until non-infectious. Prevention is pertussis (DPT) vaccination, including maternal vaccination in pregnancy to protect newborns.

In-depthFull dosing & advanced protocol

Drug dosing

Macrolide (e.g., azithromycin)

Early treatment; reduce transmission

Adult dose: Course per protocol; weight-based in children
Paediatric: Weight-based per protocol
Route: Oral

IAPIndian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) — guidelines ↗

Contact prophylaxis + supportive care

Protect vulnerable contacts

Adult dose: Macrolide prophylaxis per protocol
Route: Oral

WHOWHO Model List of Essential Medicines (electronic EML) (2025 (24th)) ↗

Antibiotics mainly cut transmission

Once paroxysms are established, antibiotics have limited effect on the cough.
Infants can present with apnoea rather than a whoop — a high-risk group.
Maternal vaccination in pregnancy protects the newborn; treat/prophylax vulnerable contacts.

IAPIndian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) — guidelines ↗

References

Guidelines change. If something here is out of date, tell us — we keep these current.

🚩 Report outdated / suggest update

More protocols

Acute Gastroenteritis — ORS & ZincAcute diarrhoea (± vomiting), usually a self-limiting viral illness. The danger is dehydration; low-osmolarity ORS plus zinc are the evidence-based core of treatment.Neonatal SepsisA serious bloodstream infection in the first 28 days of life. The signs are non-specific — treat early and empirically; delay is dangerous.Febrile SeizureA seizure with fever in a young child (6 months–5 years) without CNS infection or another cause. It is usually benign, but exclude serious causes and support the family.

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👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Macrolide (e.g., azithromycin)

Contact prophylaxis + supportive care

📈 Antibiotics mainly cut transmission

📚 References

More protocols

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Macrolide (e.g., azithromycin)

Contact prophylaxis + supportive care

📈 Antibiotics mainly cut transmission

📚 References

More protocols

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Antibiotics mainly cut transmission

References

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Antibiotics mainly cut transmission

References