Diagnosis of Whooping cough

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Your GP will usually be able to diagnose whooping cough by listening to your childâ€™s cough. Symptoms can take 5-21 days to appear after infection (incubation period), but in most cases they appear after 7-10 days.

In adults, diagnosis is more difficult. The doctor may take a swab of cells from your throat or nose to find out whether the pertussis bacteria have caused the infection.

Your GP has to tell the local authorities about any suspected case of whooping cough.