health

In most cases the doctor will make the diagnosis on the basis of the patient’s
physical symptoms, a history of exposure to others with whooping cough,
and the patient’s record of immunization against whooping cough. The
doctor may take a blood test to see whether the patient has a higher than
normal number of lymphocyte white blood cells or order a chest x ray to see
whether the patient has developed pneumonia, but neither of these tests is
specific for whooping cough. Tomake the diagnosis definite, the doctor can
take a sample of fluid fromthe patient’s nose or throat on a cotton swab and
send it to a laboratory for analysis.