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Prevention is by generally means of immunization. Prevention can also refer to persons exposed to whooping cough (see link in submenu).
For about fifty years vaccine against whooping cough has been used effectively to drastically reduce the number of infants who would otherwise die of whooping cough.
The traditional vaccine is prepared from killed Bordetella pertussis organisms and given in combination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids in the first year of life. Some programs give three doses over about three months and others five over 5 years. There are many different programs in different countries.
The main effect of the vaccine is to greatly reduces the number of whooping cough cases in children. Although the children given direct protection in this way are not especially at risk from the disease (in the developed world) this protection indirectly stops their infant brothers and sisters (who are too young to be immunized) getting the illness and possibly dying from it.
In recent years a purer form of vaccine has become available and is gradually replacing the traditional type. It is known as acellular pertussis vaccine because it consists, not of whole cells, but various combinations of the several antigens known to play a part in natural immunity.
The new vaccine, as one might expect, is equally effective but causes fewer reactions when given. It is quite common for children not to complete a course of traditional pertussis vaccine because of severe swelling at the injection site, or fever and irritability for several hours afterwards.
For the vaccine to be effective at reducing the incidence in children sufficient to protect infants, about 80% to 90% of children need to be fully immunized.
how much protection does immunization give?
immunization schedule in the USA
immunization schedule in the United Kingdom
immunization schedule and other information on management in Australia