Texas state health officials are reporting a significant increase in cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, in 2025.
Provisionally, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has reported more than 3,500 reported pertussis cases through October this year, roughly four times the number reported for the same period in 2024. Approximately 85 percent of pertussis cases in Texas this year have occurred among children.
This is the second consecutive year that Texas is experiencing high year-over-year increases in reported pertussis cases.
What is pertussis?
Pertussis is a highly contagious illness caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Early symptoms are similar to the common cold. One to two weeks after symptoms start, people may develop coughing fits (paroxysms). The cough generally gets worse and becomes more frequent as the illness continues and can cause people to vomit or make a “whoop” sound as they breathe in between coughs. Coughing fits may continue for weeks or even months. Infants with pertussis may not have coughing fits; instead, they may gag, gasp, vomit, stop breathing, or turn blue.
Pertussis can cause serious and potentially life-threatening complications in infants and young children who are not fully immunized. Infants under one year old are at the greatest risk of getting whooping cough and having severe complications from it. About one-third of babies younger than 12 months old with pertussis need treatment in a hospital.
The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. However, immunized children and adults can still get pertussis, so a history of immunization does not rule out a pertussis diagnosis. Immunized children, adolescents, and adults may present with milder symptoms and lack the classic “whoop.”