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Common signs and symptoms within the first 1 to 2 weeks of infection are runny nose, low-grade fever (less than 100.4 °F or 38 °C), and mild cough in teenagers and adults, infants and young children may have brief pauses in breathing (apnea). Potential Complications of Pertussis Due to severe bouts of cough, teens and adults may have episodes of fainting, rib fractures, weight loss, and loss of bladder control, and some may develop pneumonia. Diagnosis and Treatment Pertussis should be suspected in people who have been in contact with a person with whooping cough and/or have had an acute illness for 2 weeks or longer with characteristic symptoms such as severe bouts of coughing, vomiting after coughing, or apnea in infants or young children. For individuals exposed to pertussis, the CDC recommends preventive antibiotics only for people living with a person diagnosed with whooping cough, for those at increased risk of developing severe disease (such as infants), and for those in close contact with individuals at increased risk of severe disease from pertussis.