Pertussis Update
Nancy Shaw
September 10, 2010
California is facing what could be the state's biggest outbreak of pertussis, commonly known as Whooping Cough, since 1958. As of June 15, 2010, 910 cases have been confirmed in California.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. In advanced stages, it's marked a severe, hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop."
In the first half of the 20th century, whooping cough was a leading cause of childhood illness and death in the United States. But after the introduction of a vaccine, the number of cases gradually declined, reaching a low in the mid-1970s.
Since then, however, the incidence of whooping cough has been increasing, primarily among children too young to have completed the full course of vaccinations and teenagers and adults whose immunity has faded.
Symptoms
Once you become infected with whooping cough, it takes three to 12 days for signs and symptoms to appear. They're usually mild at first and resemble those of a common cold:
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Sneezing
• Red, watery eyes
• A mild fever
• Dry cough
After a week or two, signs and symptoms worsen. Severe and prolonged coughing attacks may:
• Bring up thick phlegm
• Provoke vomiting
• Result in a red or blue face
• Cause extreme fatigue
• End with a high-pitched "whoop" sound during the next breath of air
However, many people — particularly infants, adolescents and adults — don't develop the characteristic whoop. Sometimes, a persistent hacking cough is the only sign that an adolescent or adult has whooping cough.
The California public health department first warned of a pertussis spike in April, when the case count was running double the rate seen at the same time in 2009. For current information, and information on how you can protect your family, please see your medical provider.
