Whooping Cough More Prevalent This Year: County Health

More cases of pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough, are affecting residents, especially school-aged children, this year, says the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

Residents are being reminded to get pertussis booster shots to keep their immunity to the contagious respiratory infection. Whooping cough is spread by close contact with secretions from the nose, throat and mouth of an infected person, such as through coughing or sneezing, according to a news release. The disease can be fatal in infants and young children.

Symptoms include a low-grade fever, runny nose and a cough that is mild at first, becoming more severe after one or weeks, with episodes of deep, rapid coughing and a high-pitched “whoop.” Health officials say it is not unusual for symptoms to persist after the infection has resolved; a cough may be present for 6-10 weeks.

Anyone diagnosed with pertussis should be isolated from to prevent the spread of disease, health workers say. This means staying at home and away from school and work until five days of antibiotic treatment are completed.

County healthy officials say it is extremely important to stay away from those who are considered high risk, including:

• Infants, especially babies younger than 1 year old who are not yet fully vaccinated
• Women in their third trimester of pregnancy
• All people with pre-existing health conditions that may worsen with pertussis infection, such as those weakened immune systems or people with moderate to severe medically treated asthma

Anyone who develops symptoms should see a doctor for testing and treatment. The county Health Department also recommends that all eligible schoolchildren receive a Tdap booster vaccine for protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Experts recommend that everyone receive one dose of pertussis-containing tetanus vaccine after 10 years of age to decrease the risk of pertussis disease.

More information is available on the Centers for Disease Control website.