“Pertussis, more commonly known as Whooping Cough, has hit our area, and there’s potential for it spreading given the overall decreased vaccination rates in recent years,” states Dr. Kristen Sherman, Mercer Health Pediatrician. “Pertussis starts as mild cold symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, low grade fever and mild cough. Kids are often still going to daycare or school during this phase, when they are highly contagious. After a week or two of mild symptoms, severe violent coughing fits start and are often associated with a high pitch ‘whoop’ sound as well as vomiting.”

Some babies don’t progress to the whooping cough part of illness at all, but rather look as if they’re gasping for air, become red in the face and may actually stop breathing (called apnea). During very bad spells, their face might turn purple or blue for a few seconds.

About 1 in 3 babies younger than one year old who get whooping cough need hospitalization, and 1 in 100 will die from complications.

Adults and teens may have milder or different symptoms, such as a lasting cough (rather than coughing spells) or coughing without the whoop.

How Does Whooping Cough Spread?

Whooping cough is highly contagious and spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s especially risky for babies and young children who can suffer serious complications, including pneumonia, or even death from the disease. Infected people are most contagious in the earliest stages of the illness. Often the period they typically just assume it is a “mild cold”.

How Long Does Whooping Cough Last?

Whooping cough usually causes cold symptoms that last for 1 to 2 weeks, followed by up to 3 months of severe coughing. The last stage consists of another few weeks of recovery with gradual clearing of symptoms. In some children, the recovery period can last for months. Whooping cough is often referred to as the “100 day cough”.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your healthcare provider if you think that your child has whooping cough or was near someone with whooping cough, even if your child already got all scheduled pertussis vaccines. This is especially important if your child has long coughing spells and:

• The coughing makes your child’s skin or lips turn red, purple, or blue.
• Your child vomits after coughing.
• There’s a whooping sound after the cough.
• Your child has trouble breathing or seems to have brief periods of not breathing (apnea).
• Your child seems very sluggish.
• You’re worried that your child may be dehydrated.

Can Whooping Cough Be Prevented?

Whooping cough can be prevented with the pertussis vaccine, which is part of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) immunization.

“You can protect yourself and your children by following the recommended vaccine schedule,” recommends Dr. Kristen Sherman, Mercer Health Pediatrician. “Babies should get their first DTaP vaccine at 2 months old, to protect them as soon as possible. Adults should get a TDaP booster at least every 10 years to protect themselves and others.”

Whooping cough can be prevented with the pertussis vaccine, which is part of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) immunization.

DTaP immunizations are routinely given in 5 doses before a child’s sixth birthday. For added protection in case immunity fades, kids ages 11–18 should get a shot of the new combination booster (called Tdap), ideally when they’re 11 or 12 years old.

The Tdap booster is similar to the DTaP vaccine but with lower concentrations of diphtheria and pertussis. Adults who did not get it as preteens or teens also should get it. It’s also recommended for all pregnant women during the second half of each pregnancy to protect newborn babies.

Getting the vaccine is especially important for people who have close contact with infants. That’s because babies can have severe and even life-threatening problems from whooping cough. An adult’s immunity to whooping cough lessens over time, so when they get vaccinated, they’re also protecting their infants and children from the infection.

At this time, Pertussis has a vaccination rate much lower than normal compared to previous years. Due to these lower rates, the prevalence of the bacteria has been elevated which in return crosses over into the adult population.

What does this Lower Vaccination rate mean for our community?

According to the expert opinion of Dr. Wilfred Ellis, Mercer Health Disease Management Center, “In the past, adults have not required pertussis boosters because there was adequate vaccine coverage in the child population. These children are usually the reservoir. With the vaccination rate being declined or even absent, the bacteria can now find its way into the adult population. Boosters for adults were not recommended previously due to herd immunity.  However, the herd is now unprotected making the reservoir active. Adults who have Bordetella Pertussis may not have severe disease due to the fact that their airways are much larger and they tend to tolerate the higher level of mucus production. Some adults might not even realize they have Pertussis. This leads to expanding the reservoir in the adult population. Expanding the reservoir in the adult population, spreads the infection to children below the age of vaccination (neonates) and those children who are unvaccinated.”

Benefits of Vaccination:

• Preventing Outbreaks: Vaccination helps prevent outbreaks and keeps diseases from spreading widely.
• Protecting Vulnerable People: It’s particularly important for protecting those who are more vulnerable, like newborns who are too young to be vaccinated, or people with certain medical conditions that make them more susceptible to illness.

While no vaccine is 100% effective, they significantly reduce the risk of contracting and spreading diseases like pertussis. By getting vaccinated, you’re not just protecting yourself but also helping to keep others safe and healthy.