Ward Off the Whooping Cough
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough. It is caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis that is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria.
Symptoms usually develop within 7-10 days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as six weeks. Recovery from pertussis can happen slowly with the cough becoming less severe and less common. However, coughing fits can return with other respiratory infections for many months after pertussis started.
Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease. The majority of infant cases in 2010 occurred in infants less than three months of age.
Pertussis vaccines are very effective in protecting you from the disease, but no vaccine is 100% effective. If pertussis is circulating in the community, there is a chance that a fully vaccinated person — of any age — can catch this very contagious disease. The illness can be less severe and the typical “whoop” absent in children, teens, and adults who have been vaccinated.
Pertussis is diagnosed with a laboratory test in which a sample of secretions is taken from the back of the throat. It should be treated early with antibiotics. Do not give cough medications unless instructed by your doctor. Giving cough medicine probably will not help and is often not recommended for kids younger than four years old.
Symptoms
Early symptoms can last for 1-2 weeks and usually include:
| • | Runny nose |
| • | Low-grade fever (generally mild) |
| • | Mild, occasional cough |
| • | A pause in breathing (in infants) |
As the disease progresses, the traditional symptoms of pertussis appear and include:
| • | Paroxysms (fits) of many, rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” |
| • | Vomiting |
| • | Exhaustion after coughing fits |
| • | Coughing fits can last for up to ten weeks or more |
Tips for avoiding pertussis
The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. If you have an infant, consider the “cocoon strategy”. Cocooning means vaccinating the baby's mother and other adolescent and adult family members who will be in close contact with the infant, so that the disease can’t be spread to the baby. Vaccines include:
| • | DTap — Series of four doses DTaP for infants at two, four, six, and 15-18 months and a fifth dose at age 4-6 years. |
| • | Tdap booster at age 7-9 years of age. |
| • | Tdap1 — Adolescent and adult vaccine. All adolescents and adults under age 65 should receive a Tdap booster every ten years. |
Take common sense steps to stay healthy:
| • | Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. |
| • | Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or sneeze into the crook of your arm. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. |
| • | Keep frequently touched surfaces clean. Consider using a disinfectant, or avoid the sharing of space and equipment at work. |
| • | Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Attention to rest, diet, exercise and relaxation helps maintain physical and emotional health. |
| • | Try to avoid close contact with sick people. |
| • | Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. |
Resources for more information regarding pertussis
• www.CDC.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO or dial 211 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• www.sdiz.org — San Diego Immunization Branch
• www.cdph.ca.gov — California Department of Public Health
• www.sdcounty.ca.gov/hhsa — San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency
1 Tdap is not contraindicated during pregnancy. It should be administered to a pregnant woman who is in contact with an infant younger than 12 months, is in an outbreak setting, or is a health care provider who sees children. If there is no risk to the pregnant woman of acquiring or transmitting pertussis, the CDC’s ACIP recommends that Tdap vaccination be deferred until the immediate postpartum period. The new mother should receive Tdap before hospital discharge, even if she is breastfeeding.
