Symptoms
Pertussis occurs in several stages:

• Seven to 10 days after exposure to the disease, the patient shows mild symptoms—runny nose, low fever, cough.

• One week later, and for the next six weeks, the whooping cough is present: violent coughing followed by a high-pitched whooping sound. The patient coughs up thick saliva and often vomits. Secondary infections are a danger to the patient during this phase.

• Small children often do not exhibit the whooping sound. Instead, they sometimes experience apnea, or interrupted breathing, and blue lips from lack of oxygen.

• The next month, the patient recovers and regains strength.
  

Last updated: 01-Jan-00