SATURDAY, Oct. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — When someone has whooping cough, the sound can be unmistakable: A deep, gasping “whoop” as they struggle to catch their breath between fits of coughing.

Now, this once-rare illness, also known as pertussis, is making a comeback across the United States.

Cases have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and while the disease can be exhausting for adults, experts warn it can be life-threatening for newborns and infants, especially those under two months old.

Most babies in this age group who contract pertussis are hospitalized, according to a report published Oct. 3 in the journal Pediatrics .

“Pertussis symptoms are different in infants,” said lead author Dr. Caitlin Li , an infectious diseases specialist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hosp

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