Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a very contagious and serious respiratory infection.  Fortunately, due to pertussis being included in routine vaccination schedules, the incidence of this infection in young children is significantly lower now.   What Is Pertussis? Pertussis is an infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.  It is a highly contagious infection that is spread by respiratory droplets from