Yes, we still can get whooping cough. The immunity for pertussis (whooping cough is caused by Pasturella pertussis) wears off by adolescence. Whooping cough is really a danger only for infants who because of their small airways can not breathe well when they have the mucus production and spasmodic cough that pertussis causes. That's why we vaccinate against it.
Many adolescents and adults get pertussis. Often a persistent barking cough is due to pertussis infection in the trachea. Fortunately it responds to treatment with tetracycline, erythromycin or the newer versions of erythromycin: Biaxin and Zithromax. The cough may linger for a few weeks if there has been a lot of inflammation. If it is not improving, the person may also have mild asthma.
It is OK to sing whenever she can do it without coughing.
John
John Messmer, M.D. Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine Penn State Hershey Medical Center
> -----Original Message----- > From: Jean Marie Henderson [mailto:jeaniebean77@h...] > Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 4:28 PM > Advice time - doctors especially > > I student of mine has recently had whooping cough. We have > not had lessons > for three weeks now. How long does it take to recover? Is > it contagious? > How can we tell when it's OK for her to sing again? Her Mom > doesn't want to > pay the money to take her to an ENT. >
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