P ertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious disease caused by bacteria and is spread by coughing or sneezing.
Whooping cough affects the air passages and can cause difficulty in breathing.
Severe coughing spasms occur and between these spasms, the child gasps for breath causing the characteristic 'whoop' sound. Not all children get the 'whoop' and vomiting often follows a coughing spasm. The cough may last for months. W hooping cough is most serious in babies under 12 months of age, often requiring admission to hospital. Complications include convulsions, pneumonia, coma, inflammation of the brain, permanent brain damage and long-term lung damage.