4. Whooping Cough
Whooping cough is also known as the “100-day cough” due to the fact that the symptoms continue for up to 10 weeks. This contagious bacterial disease is spread by the sneezing or coughing of an infected individual.
In the beginning, the victims have similar symptoms to those that occur during a normal cold, but they are soon followed by severe coughing that lasts for plenty of weeks in a row. Some patients cough so violently that they start vomiting and even break ribs.
The symptoms usually appear 7–10 days after the infection. Even though people are vaccinated, they can still get this bacterial disease, but they will present milder symptoms. Many victims experience a high-pitched intake of breath when they cough, which is similar to the sound of “whoop” (hence the name). Before scientists developed a suitable vaccine for this disease, it was considered a childhood health issue.
