Quick guide to ... Whooping cough

24 February 2009 1 min read Health

Whooping cough is a contagious infection of the lining of the respiratory gland. It is commonly caught by young children and is called whooping cough because its main symptom is a hacking cough followed by a sharp intake of breath, which sounds like a "whoop"

- Since the introduction of an immunisation programme in the 1950s and a pre-school booster jab in 2001, the number of confirmed cases is now very low, with less than 150 reported cases among children under four in 2007

- Early symptoms of whooping cough are often similar to those of a common cold. The second stage, often known as the paroxysmal stage, includes 12 to 15 bouts of hacking coughs a day, vomiting, fatigue and redness in the face

- Babies and young children are most likely to develop severe complications from whooping cough. These can include pneumonia, brain damage from lack of oxygen, dehydration and weight loss

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