Understanding whooping cough with a Mayo Clinic expert

Whooping cough (pertussis) is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, continue to rise in the U.S.  New numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show nearly 18,000 cases through Oct. 5.  While that is somewhat in line with pre-pandemic numbers, it’s a large increase from the same period last year when there were just under 4,000 cases. Whooping cough is an infectious respiratory illness caused…