Whooping cough returns

WASHINGTON – Whooping cough, an ancient scourge that infant vaccination was meant to wipe out, is making a dangerous comeback: The vaccine babies get starts wearing off by adolescence.

With outbreaks striking teenagers and adults, the government soon will decide if it’s time for booster shots against the cough so violent it can break a rib.

Last week, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline sought Food and Drug Administration permission to sell a booster; competitor Aventis Pasteur isn’t far behind.

Whooping cough can kill newborns before they start getting their vaccinations. While older patients usually recover, they can easily spread the disease, known medically as pertussis, to infants.

Pertussis is a bacterial infection. Initial coldlike symptoms lead to fits of 15 to 20 coughs in a row that leave patients gasping for air – often, but not always, with a high-pitched “whoop.”