Whooping cough in adults

During the 1970s whooping cough returned in Sweden after an absence of more than 10 years and is now seen in all age groups, During a three-year period 174 adults with culture-verified whooping cough were identified in Gothenburg. Most of the patients had typical symptoms with whooping attacks and often vomiting. The disease was long lasting but complications were rare. Physicians should be aware that whooping cough may occur in adults, since adults may be an important source of infection for infants and erythromycin given in the catarrhal phase may modify the clinical course.