Can i die from pertussis if i ignore it?

Not likely: Pertussis can cause death in children, especially if the child is malnourished, has other respiratory illness or other intercurrent illness. An adult is not likely to die from it.

Unlikely in Adults: In adults with whooping cough you are unlikely to die if you are otherwise healthy.But it can happen in children as 1 out of 100 will die from thus disease. It is preventable with immunization and we are seing resurgence of Pertussis in adults and that is why it is recommended that all adults get a tdap vaccine booster to prevent this disease.Also all pregnant mother get immunised