Whooping cough is on the rise. There were 665 reported cases
from January to March, compared with 1,040 for the whole of
2011. It is a nasty disease, caused by a bacterium called
Bordetella pertussis, that starts with an irritating cough and
becomes prolonged, uncontrollable and makes you choke or vomit.
The whoop on breathing in, once heard, is unlikely to be
forgotten. It is spread by airborne droplets and takes six to 20
days to take hold, but can last up to three months. The recent
increase seems to be mainly in young adults, who are unlikely to
get seriously ill. However babies are now being affected too: so
far, three babies have died from the disease this year. The
highest rates of the disease occur in babies under three months
who have not yet been fully immunised. They are most at risk of
complications such as pneumonia (their tiny airways get blocked
by mucus) and brain damage, from not being able to breathe due
to coughing. Causes for the rise could be due to people not
finishing their vaccination