THINK pertussis in patients with:

• Onset of runny nose, sneezing, tiredness, absent or low-grade fever.
• Dry cough that progresses to characteristic bouts of paroxysmal coughing.

 Testing and treatment

• Nasopharyngeal swab for PCR testing for both children and adults when < 3 weeks from symptom onset.
• Antibiotic treatment minimises transmission to susceptible contacts and is recommended in patients of any age if the diagnosis of pertussis is made within 3 weeks of symptom onset. Patients are considered no longer infectious after 5 days of an appropriate antibiotic treatment.
• After 3 weeks of cough or other symptom onset, patients are rarely infectious and antibiotic therapy is not indicated.
• Information on antibiotic treatment of pertussis is available Pertussis | Therapeutic Guidelines.

Prevention

• Vaccinate pregnant women in each pregnancy to protect newborn infants.
• Vaccinate infants, children and adolescents according to the Immunisation Schedule Queensland.
• Recommend pertussis booster vaccination for adults every 10 years, particularly people aged ≥65 years, healthcare workers, early childhood educators and household contacts and carers of infants.
• Test and treat early, and advise patients to avoid contact with others, especially young children and infants until no longer infectious.
• Identify high risk contacts of patients diagnosed with pertussis and assess the need for antibiotic prophylaxis in collaboration with your local public health unit.

Further information

• QH fact sheet Pertussis (whooping cough).
• Pertussis | The Australian Immunisation Handbook provides clinical guidelines for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice

Return To Main News Page