Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract, primarily effecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated children. It’s highly contagious, and adult whooping cough is not uncommon. It starts as a common cold and develops into a spasmodic, persistent, suffocative cough accompanied by a sore throat, fever, mucus secretion and vomiting. Coughing continues until the lungs are emptied of air and the sudden, hard intake of breath causes the characteristic whooping sound. Coughing attacks are fierce and can occur up to 40 times daily, lasting for two months or longer.