Whooping cough: Is an acute

Whooping cough is an acute, highly communicable respiratory disease characterized in its typical form by paroxysms of coughing followed by a long-drawn inspiration, or ‘whoop.’ Whooping cough , also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness. Whooping cough may begin like a common cold, but unlike a cold, the coughing can last for weeks or months. Treating whooping cough early with antibiotics may make the infection less serious. Whooping cough (pertussis) is a respiratory infection that causes severe coughing fits for many weeks. Treatment with antibiotics can limit the spread to others.