What you need to know about whooping cough

Guest post: Kevin Bluemel, MD, is a board certified family medicine physician at Mercy Brodhead Medical Center. For more information, call (608) 897-8664.

Currently, several states are reporting an increase in whooping cough cases, including a statewide epidemic in California. The following information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help you protect yourself and your family from this serious disease.

Whooping cough, also called pertussis is a very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. People with pertussis usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Many infants who get pertussis are infected by parents, older siblings or other caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.

Among vaccine-preventable diseases, pertussis is one of the most commonly occurring ones in the U.S. Since the 1980s, there has been an increase in the number of cases of pertussis, especially among teens (10–19 years old) and babies less than six months old. In 2008, there were more than 13,000 reported cases including 18 deaths from pertussis nationally.

What to watch for

Pertussis can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease starts like the common cold, with a runny nose or congestion, sneezing, and maybe mild cough or fever. But after one to two weeks, severe coughing begins. Infants and children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they are forced to inhale with a loud “whooping” sound.

Pertussis is most severe for babies, especially for infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated; more than half of infants under one year old who get the disease must be hospitalized. About one in five infants with pertussis get pneumonia (lung infection), and about one in 100 will have convulsions. In rare cases (one in 100), pertussis can be deadly, especially in infants.

Preventing pertussis

Parents can help protect infants by keeping them away as much as possible from anyone who has cold symptoms or is coughing.

The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. The recommended pertussis vaccine for children is called DTaP. This is a safe and effective combination vaccine that protects children against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

Vaccine protection for pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria can fade with time. There are boosters for adolescents and adults that contain tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (called Tdap). Getting vaccinated with Tdap is especially important for families with and caregivers of new infants.

The easiest thing for adults to do is to get Tdap instead of their regular tetanus booster every 10 years. The dose of Tdap can be given earlier than the 10-year mark, so it is a good idea for adults to talk to their health care provider about what is best for their specific situation.

Note that pertussis vaccines are very effective, but not 100% effective. If pertussis is circulating in the community, there is still a chance that a fully vaccinated person can catch this very contagious disease. When you or your child develops a cold that includes a prolonged or severe cough, it may be pertussis. The best way to know is to call your doctor.

Kevin Bluemel, MD, is a board certified family medicine physician at Mercy Brodhead Medical Center. For more information, call (608) 897-8664.