Doctors believe that a booster vaccination for parents of new babies and other household members can help in protecting infants from whooping cough. Doctors added that the infants were too young to have been vaccinated themselves as the first dose is given at two months of age with repeat doses at three months, four months and four years.

Recently two young babies died due to whooping cough at Royal Hospital for Sick Children, in Edinburgh. The infants contracted this infection from their parents or older siblings.

Ulf Theilen, Consultant in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the hospital and colleagues revealed that cases of whooping cough, known as pertussis, among adults is increasing and they are the main source of infection for unimmunised infants. They documented the deaths of a one month old boy and a six week old girl who both deteriorated rapidly and died in intensive care despite the best efforts of medical staff.

Doctors added: "The best solution is to prevent infection. Introducing an adolescent pertussis booster, as adopted in several countries, or more targeted vaccination of household contacts of this most vulnerable group should be carefully considered."