Outlook

Complications of whooping cough are most commonly seen in children younger than 1 year, with an increased risk of severe whooping cough in premature infants.

• Between 1999-2003, 17,000 cases of whooping cough in children under two years of age required hospitalization.



• Among all pertussis hospitalizations during 1994-2003 in children under age 2 years, 92% occurred in infants under 6 months of age.



• In 2001-2003, 16% of whooping cough cases in children and adults required hospitalization.



• From 2004-2005, 66 deaths due to whooping cough were reported to the CDC.



• Bacterial pneumonia is the most common complication of whooping cough. It is also the most common cause of pertussis-related deaths. Between the years 2001-2003, 4.9% of all people with whooping cough developed a bacterial pneumonia—17% were infants younger than 6 months.

• Other complications include bluish skin from lack of oxygen, collapse of a lung, sinusitis, otitis media (ear infection), dehydration, nosebleed, bruising, hernias, retinal detachment, rectal prolapse, seizures, diseases of the brain, and failure to thrive.

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