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Is Whooping Cough Contagious Even After Fever Has Reduced?
Hi My adult granddaughter was just diagnosed with whooping cough. She got it from her son who was diagnosed by the Dr. He had the vaccine last year. He is now 6. She said her Dr told her she can go out into the public once her fever comes down. She has been on her antibiotics one or two days. I am just concerned that she is still contagious.
Wed, 29 May 2019
Hello,
whooping cough is very contagious and transmission may occur even three weeks after the first symptoms. The antibiotics may reduce the risk for transmission but sometimes they don't! When the temperature is normal for at least 24 hours (without paracetamol-acetaminophen-ibuprofen or other drugs that reduce the fever) then the risk for transmission should be lower but this is not 100% certain in every case. At least 5 days with an appropriate antibiotic regimen should have been completed before considering to withdraw preventive measures. Besides that a carrier state is possible as well, which means that a person may harbor the pathogen (without showing any signs of disease) and transmit it to other individuals. Having been vaccinated against Bordetella pertussis is protective but not always.
A documented diagnosis of whooping cough requires caution for 3 weeks if you'd like to be sure you won't get the disease.
I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kind Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis
Internal Medicine Specialist
whooping cough is very contagious and transmission may occur even three weeks after the first symptoms. The antibiotics may reduce the risk for transmission but sometimes they don't! When the temperature is normal for at least 24 hours (without paracetamol-acetaminophen-ibuprofen or other drugs that reduce the fever) then the risk for transmission should be lower but this is not 100% certain in every case. At least 5 days with an appropriate antibiotic regimen should have been completed before considering to withdraw preventive measures. Besides that a carrier state is possible as well, which means that a person may harbor the pathogen (without showing any signs of disease) and transmit it to other individuals. Having been vaccinated against Bordetella pertussis is protective but not always.
A documented diagnosis of whooping cough requires caution for 3 weeks if you'd like to be sure you won't get the disease.
I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kind Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis
Internal Medicine Specialist
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