What are the symptoms and complications?

If you are exposed to whooping cough – and your immunity is low – you would typically develop symptoms within 5 to 10 days.
Whooping cough often begins like a cold.

In a typical case, your symptoms might include:
•    a blocked or runny nose
•    sneezing
•    mild fever
•    a cough

Complications of whooping cough are usually less serious in adults, especially if you have been vaccinated.

In one study, the most common complications reported were:

•    weight loss in 1 out of 3 adults
•    loss of bladder control in 1 out of 4 adults 
•    passing out in 3 out of 50 adults
•    rib fracture from severe coughing in 1 out of 25 adults