Health officials say cases of whopping cough, also known as pertussis, are increasing.

Officials say the number of cases in the U.S. are the highest they have been in a decade. The respiratory illness can cause a person's airways to swell and can lead to intense coughing fits.

"That's a big concern because that is another bacteria which causes pretty severe disease in young people," says Dr. Scott Roberts, an infectious diseases expert at Yale New Haven Health.

Roberts says unlike other respiratory viruses, treatment is available.

"We have an antibiotic for it, but we also have a vaccine for it. Some of the reason we're seeing an uptick is people are not really maintaining a boosting schedule of the pertussis vaccine which should be done every 10 years," says Roberts.

Doctors say it's important that pregnant women, at risk adults and babies are up to date on their shots and boosters.

In some cases, the highly contagious illness can progress into an infection, lead to hospitalizations and can cause some people to have trouble breathing. People who have difficulty breathing should seek immediate medical attention.