Whooping Cough Raising Health Concerns
Due to the massive reported whooping cough cases, the highest numbers in decades, California health experts are requesting the public, especially pregnant women and any that have contact with infants, take caution with immunization against this highly contagious disease.
The increase of reported whooping cough cases over 2009 are also being reported in South Carolina, Michigan, Ohio and upper New York state. The number of whooping cough cases have increased public concern the disease will continue spreading, according to epidemiologist Jennifer Lian, who works with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis. gets its name from the wheezing sound commonly called “whoop” by those infected as they try breathing during a coughing attack.
According to Liang, “Pertussis is a cyclic disease, and we do see peaks every three to five years”. “The last peak was 2005,when we had 25,000 reported cases nationally, and we may be on the upswing of another cycle.”
How much public concern or worry should exist? Whooping cough can cause adults to incur a barking cough that may last weeks, however it is very rare to be life-threatening and treatment is through antibiotics.
The greatest concern is for infants too young for immunization. Whooping couch could result in death. California reported the death of a baby last week, bringing the current number to seven deaths. California is calling this the greatest outbreak in 50 years.
The CDC says with infant pertussis, hospitalization will result in about two-thirds of the cases. With children about one in 10 result in pneumonia from the infection, and one in 250 may result in encephalopathy, a disease affecting the brain.
Late summer, into early fall is the whooping cough peak season time. Symptoms of the disease are those much similar to the common cold. Watch for congestion, runny nose and mild fever. Then progressing to a dry, hacking cough, usually with prolonged violent attacks of coughing which may induce vomiting.
More information
The CDC has more on the pertussis vaccine visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/
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