Pertussis (whooping cough)

About the vaccine

It's recommended that everyone be immunized against pertussis. The pertussis vaccine is given in combination with other vaccines so you can receive protection from several diseases with one shot.

For more information about the vaccine, who should get it, the benefits and possible reactions, read our BC HealthFiles:

DTaP-HB-IPV-Hib (105) (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, Polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b). Three doses are given to children under the age of 7 years, usually at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.

DTaP-IPV-Hib (15b) (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus influenzae Type b) A single dose is given as a booster to children at 18 months of age after completing a three dose primary series of DTaP-HB-IPV-Hib.

Some children may receive DTaP-IPV-Hib as a three dose primary series at 2, 4 and 6 months followed by a booster dose at 18 months.

One dose of DTaP-IPV (15a) (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio) vaccine is given to children 4 to 6 years of age (as they start school).

Grade 9 students should get a single booster shot of Tdap (18c) (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) to boost their immune response if they have been immunized earlier in life.

The Tdap (18c) (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) vaccine is recommended and free for adults who were not immunized against pertussis as children.  The vaccine is also recommended once in adulthood for those who were immunized in childhood to boost protection against pertussis.  Those not eligible for the free vaccine can talk to their doctor or pharmacist about purchasing the vaccine. 

Once fully immunized, the Tdap vaccine is around 85% effective in protecting you against pertussis.

Talk to your public health nurse, doctor or pharmacist about getting your Tdap vaccine.

About the disease

• Pertussis (whooping cough) is a respiratory infection that is caused by a bacteria (germ) found in the throat
• The germ is spread by coughing and sneezing
• Pertussis (whooping cough) starts like a common cold, with sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild cough. But over the next week or 2 the cough gets worse and worse, leading to really bad coughing spells that often end with a whoop (which is where the name whooping cough came from).
• Risk of convulsions or seizures: (1 out of 30 cases);
• Risk of encephalopathy (brain damage): (1 out of 100 cases)
• About 1 infant out of every 170 who gets pertussis (whooping cough) will die from it. Most deaths (4 out of 5) are babies under a year old
• There is less pertussis (whooping cough) disease in BC because of routine childhood vaccination programs
• For more information about the disease and the vaccine, go to the Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (15c) HealthLink BC File
• Hear what a pertussis cough sounds like

Photo courtesy of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. More vaccine preventable disease images