Whooping Cough - Diagnosis

Whooping cough can be difficult to diagnose. Heavy coughing is characteristic of many diseases. For example, a heavy cold, a case of influenza (the flu; see influenza entry), or bronchitis (see bronchitis entry) all have symptoms similar to those of whooping cough.

A clear diagnosis can be made, however, by taking a throat culture. To do a throat culture, a doctor or nurse wipes a cotton swab across the back of the patient's mouth. The material collected is then studied under a microscope to determine if pertussis bacteria are present.