Gaspar, MarianaSutre, FilipeCouto, CelinaGavino, AlexandraVilarinho, FilipaLopes, Aldina2025-12-302025-12-302023-12-31Nascer e Crescer - Birth and Growth Medical Journal 2023;32(4):314-317. doi:10.25753/BirthGrowthMJ.v32.i4.264952183-9417http://hdl.handle.net/10400.16/3812Pertussis infection, or "whooping cough," is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertus-sis. It can affect people of all ages, but is usually more severe in young infants. Despite high vaccination coverage worldwide, this infection remains a problem. Pertussis infection is spread by aerosolized droplets and the clinical presentation can vary with age and immunity. The classic presentation includes cough paroxysms, inspiratory whoop, and post-tussive vomiting. Laboratory confirmation is not necessary for diagnosis and should not delay treatment.The authors present the case of a healthy two-year-old girl with a one-month history of dry paroxysmal cough with inspiratory whoop who was admitted to the Emergency Department for loss of consciousness during a coughing episode.This case is intended to raise awareness of severe, life-threatening pertussis infection in children with complete primary immunization who present with respiratory symptoms consistent with this infection.engBordetella pertussiscomplete primary immunizationinspiratory whoopparoxysms of coughingpertussis infectiontext10.25753/BirthGrowthMJ.v32.i4.26495