Pertussis? What should I do now?

My daughter is thought to have pertussis and was first treated with Cefprozil for 10 days after having a cough for over a month. However, as soon as her last dose was finished she began coughing again. The doctor then decided it was Pertussis so he gave her a 5 day dose of Azithromycin. She stopped coughing.  However, 9 days later the cough is back again. What should I do? Is it really Pertussis and do I need to get her back on more antibiotics?

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Did the blood culture show B. pertussis bacteria? For pertussis, the course of illness is usually prolonged. It can last for 6-8 weeks followed by a recovery phase of few weeks. It needs prolonged antibiotic therapy for about 2 weeks. If her symptoms are worsening, then the complication of pneumonia needs to be ruled out. Please consult your primary care physician for further evaluation.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.