complications

Last edited 12/2021

Type and frequency of complications depends on the age and the immunity of the patient (1).

• Infants and children:
• pertussis may be responsible for serious and potentially life-threatening complications in infants and young children who are not fully vaccinated
• severe complications and deaths occur mostly in infants under six months of age (2)
• some of the complications include:
• apnea
• bronchopneumonia
• the most common complication and cause of death
• usually secondary to bacterial infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, or Haemophilus influenzae
• seizures
• encephalopathy - due to hypoxia from coughing or possibly from toxin
• refractory pulmonary hypertension
• epistaxis
• otitis media
• dehydration
• severe complications like pneumothorax, rectal prolapse, and subdural hematomas (1)
• Adolescents and adults:
• less severe (especially those who have been vaccinated)
• common complications observed in studies of adults with pertussis include:
• pneumonia
• weight loss
• urinary incontinence
• syncope
• rib fractures from severe coughing (1)

Longer term complications include:

• bronchiectasis

Reference:

• (1) Heininger U. Pertussis: what the pediatric infectious disease specialist should know. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012;31(1):78-9. 
• (2) Public Health England (PHE). Pertussis brief for healthcare professionals