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Guidance

Pertussis: the green book chapter

Pertussis (whooping cough) immunisation information for public health professionals, including updates.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Health Security Agency
Published:
20 March 2013
Last updated:
22 December 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated to align with published guidance on occupational pertussis vaccination of healthcare workers.

  2. Updated to reflect changes to the childhood immunisation programme from 01 July 2025.

  3. Updated chapter to include the ADACEL vaccine and guidance on the management of outbreaks of pertussis.

  4. Updated to incorporate recent JCVI advice that maternal vaccination can now be given earlier, starting from gestational weeks 16.

  5. Revised chapter on whooping cough immunisation, part of 'Immunisation against infectious disease' (the Green Book).

  6. This chapter has been substantially rewritten to bring it into line with current information, policies and procedures.

  7. Updated the Body text to include a link to National Archives (chapter update patches) and NHS Choices.

  8. First published.

Documents

Pertussis: the green book chapter

Ref: UKHSA gateway number 2025940

PDF, 329 KB, 21 pages

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Details

Chapter update patches, for editions prior to 2013

Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease that is usually caused by Bordetella pertussis. A similar illness is caused by B. parapertussis, but this is not preventable with presently available vaccines.

The complete immunisation schedule detailing when to give doses is available.

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