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Pertussis (whooping cough)
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Statutory notification alert
Pertussis infection is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
See
notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB)
.
Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for
metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB)
or
regional residents (PDF 213KB)
.
For notification of regional residents see contact details of
public health units
.
See also description of
Statutory medical notifications in Western Australia
.
Public health management
Important information
Infectious agent
:
Bordetella pertussis
bacteria.
Transmission
: Pertussis is spread to other people by droplets from coughing or sneezing.
Incubation period
: Usually 7 to 10 days (ranges from 4 to 21 days).
Infectious period
: Untreated, a person with pertussis can spread it to other people for up to three weeks after onset of cough.
Case exclusion
: People diagnosed with pertussis should stay away from school and work while infectious (up to 21 days) or until they have completed 5 days of a course of a recommended antibiotic. It is particularly important not to expose young children (e.g. at child care centres) to infection. See
Pertussis – National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)
.
Contact exclusion
: Exclude unimmunised contacts from childcare. See
Pertussis – National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)
.
Treatment
: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
Immunisation
: Recommended that at risk groups be vaccinated as outlined in the
Western Australian immunisation schedule
. See
Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Pertussis (whooping cough) (external site)
.
Case follow-up
: Is conducted by
public health units (Healthy WA)
and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.
Guidelines for health providers
Western Australian immunisation schedule
Pertussis fact sheet (Healthy WA)
Pertussis (whooping cough) - information for primary healthcare workers (PDF 210KB)
Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Pertussis (whooping cough) (external site)
Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners
Guidelines for public health units
Pertussis – National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)
Pertussis fact sheet (Healthy WA)
Pertussis public health unit checklist (Word 565KB)
Pertussis case investigation form (Word 295KB)
Notifiable disease data and reports
Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
General infectious disease reports
Produced by
Public Health
Related links
Whooping cough (pertussis) (Healthy WA)
Antenatal immunisation