Complications of Whooping Cough

Complications list for Whooping Cough:

The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Whooping Cough includes:

• Breathing difficulty
• Choking
• Hypoxia
• Asphyxia
• Apnea
• Pneumonia
• Bronchopneumonia (type of Pneumonia)
• Bronchiectasis
• Weight loss
• Malnutrition
• Complications particularly occurring in infants:
  • Seizures
  • Encephalopathy
  • Encephalitis
  • Cerebral hemorrhage
  • Brain damage
  • Choking
  • Death
  • Retinal bleeding (see Bleeding symptoms)
• Complications caused by forceful coughing:
  • Hernia
  • Abdominal hernia
  • Cerebral hemorrhage
  • Retinal detachment
  • Broken rib (see Rib pain)
• Lung damage
• Emphysema
• Asthma
• Tuberculosis
• Encephalitis - see also complications of encephalitis
• Permanent brain damage
• Mental retardation
• Epistaxis
• Scleral hemorrhage
• Atelectasis
• Subcutaneous emphysema
• Inguinal hernia
• Bacteria superinfection

See also the symptoms of Whooping Cough and Whooping Cough: Introduction.

Complications and sequelae of Whooping Cough from the Diseases Database include:

• Bronchiectasis
• Cough
• Lymphocytosis
• Gram negative bacilli / rods
• Upper respiratory tract infection

See also the symptoms of Whooping Cough and Whooping Cough: Introduction.

Complications of Whooping Cough:

Major complications are most common among infants and young children and include hypoxia, apnea, pneumonia, seizures, encephalopathy, and malnutrition. Young children can die from pertussis; in the United States 5-10 children die every year. Most deaths occur among unvaccinated children or children too young to be vaccinated. (Source: excerpt from Pertussis: DBMD)

You may also want to research other symptoms in our Symptoms Center.

About complications:

Complications of Whooping Cough are secondary conditions, symptoms, or other disorders that are caused by Whooping Cough. In many cases the distinction between symptoms of Whooping Cough and complications of Whooping Cough is unclear or arbitrary.

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