Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection marked by severe coughing spells and a “whoop” sound when patients inhale. The disease can kill young children.

Vaccines to provide immunity against whooping cough are routinely given to children, but experts believe immunity wanes by adolescence.

While whooping cough can kill infants and children, the disease is milder in adults and teenagers. The cough can last for months in older patients, but it does not always produce the characteristic whooping sound.

Older people who carry the bacteria can easily infect young, unvaccinated children, and reports of infant deaths from the disease have been increasing.

Boostrix was approved for use as a single-shot booster for young people ages 10 to 18, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement. The vaccine should be available by June, GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Patricia Seif said. She said she could not disclose the price.

Sanofi-Aventis is seeking FDA approval to sell a rival vaccine called Adacel to a larger group, people ages 11 to 64.

It is unknown how long immunity to whooping cough will last after a Boostrix shot, the FDA said.

Reactions can include pain, redness and swelling at the injection site. Pain was reported more frequently with Boostrix than with a tetanus and diphtheria booster shot, the FDA said. Glaxo has said the pain was mild to moderate, not severe.

Other side effects include headaches, fever and fatigue for a short period after the shot, the FDA said.