2012: Worst Whooping Cough Year Since 1955

The Centers for Disease Control reports that last year was the worst for whooping cough in nearly 60 years with at least 42,000 cases reported.

That number is expected to increase because whooping cough tends to run in multi-year cycles.

Although the number of cases in 2012 was the highest since 1955, the number of related deaths from the disease dropped to 18. Experts credit doctors with a quicker diagnosis and treatment of whooping cough.