Contents
- General information
- Who gets it and how serious is it?
- Treatment
- How common is it?
- Prevention
- Minimising impact in Wales
Pertussis, also known as 'whooping cough', is a highly infectious bacterial disease of the respiratory tract and is spread by breathing in droplets expelled by an infected person when they talk, cough or sneeze.
The infection starts as an irritating cough which, usually within one to two weeks, becomes outbursts of coughing (paroxysms). This can often lasts for two to three months.
Not all patients, particularly young babies, will have the characteristic 'whoop'. Coughing spasms may be followed by a period of vomiting.
More information about pertussis is available from NHS Direct Wales.
The number of notifications of pertussis in Wales can be viewed from our interactive data dashboard.
Samples from a proportion of notified cases are sent for laboratory testing. The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis in Wales by year and by age group is available from the document: Pertussis laboratory confirmations for Wales.
Infants have the highest rates of pertussis infection. School aged children are often the source of infection for younger siblings at home. Pertussis also occurs in adolescents and adults.
Pertussis is potentially a very serious infection especially for babies under 6 months old and it can lead to severe complications and even death. Over 50% of infants with the disease are admitted to hospital.
Serious illness is less common in older children and adults; however, they have the potential to transmit infection to vulnerable babies.
Pertussis is treated with antibiotics but the illness will still last for 6-8 weeks even with treatment. Close contacts of pertussis cases and who are particularly vulnerable, unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or less than five years of age are given antibiotics as a preventative measure.
Pertussis peaks every three to four years and over the last few years a greater number of cases are being confirmed in older age groups.
The number of notifications of pertussis in Wales can be viewed from our interactive data dashboard.
Samples from a proportion of notified cases are sent for laboratory testing. The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis in Wales by year and by age group is available from the document: Pertussis laboratory confirmations for Wales.
Pertussis is a vaccine preventable disease. The pertussis vaccine is included in the DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep B ‘6-in-1 jab’ given to babies at 2, 3 and 4 months.
As immunity against pertussis wanes over time, a booster jab has also been included in the ‘4-in-1’ pre-school boosters (given between 3-5 years of age) with the aim of reducing illness in older age groups thereby reducing transmission of pertussis to unvaccinated or partially vaccinated babies.
Due to the considerable increase in the rates of pertussis during 2011/12, a vaccination programme has been established to offer pertussis vaccination to all expectant mothers in the UK from week 16 of pregnancy. This is to help protect their newborn infants from whooping cough until they are old enough to receive their routine immunisations which start from 8 weeks of age.
Coverage of pertussis immunisation in pregnant woman is available in the reports:
More information about immunisation, including pertussis vaccination is available from the Vaccines for Children webpage.
One important role of the Public Health Wales is the collection and interpretation of data about the levels of infectious disease in the Welsh population.
Key infections, including whooping cough, are under constant surveillance, to detect significant trends, to evaluate prevention and control measures and to alert appropriate professionals and organisations to infectious disease threats.
The most effective method of controlling whooping cough (pertussis) is by maintaining high levels of immunisation among vulnerable groups or whole populations.
Public Health Wales contribute to this through the work of the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme (VPDP) and Local Health Protection Teams (HPTs). These support WG in setting a strategic direction for immunisation services, support LHBs in managing local services and achieving targets, and support General Practice and Trusts delivering services.
In addition Public Health Wales identify and follow up local cases and outbreaks of whooping cough to prevent spread of the disease amongst vulnerable people.
Uptake and coverage of all recommended childhood immunisations are monitored and reported by Public Health Wales quarterly and annually at local and national levels in the COVER reports.