Whooping cough can be deadly for kids under 2, finds study

Pertussis, or whooping cough, in young infants can be life-threatening, according to a study, which stressed the need for maternal vaccination during pregnancy.

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Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that causes severe coughing fits and is often followed by a high-pitched "whoop" sound as the person inhales.

It can last for months in both adults and children.

"Pertussis symptoms are different in infants," said leading author Caitlin Li, an infectious diseases specialist at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.