
Whooping cough
Whooping cough What is whooping cough? Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract and is usually caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough is spread by sick people when coughing, sneezing or through the air (droplet infection). It often begins inconspicuously with a runny nose and dry cough and is highly contagious, especially during the first two weeks of the illness.