ATLANTA (CDC) -- A recent case of pertussis (whooping cough) in an elderly Minnesota woman who later died and identification of 3 additional cases in other adults in the community underline the importance of clinicians being aware that adults can get the highly contagious cough illness and they should request laboratory testing to confirm a diagnosis of pertussis.

Increased reports of pertussis in teens and adults in the United States since the 1980s are a concern because infants who have not completed their pertussis vaccinations may be at increased risk of acquiring this disease. Pertussis should always be considered as a cause of cough illness lasting >2 weeks among adolescents and adults.