Pertussis on the rise

LAKE COUNTY — The number of Pertussis cases continues to rise along the Highway 93 corridor. The health departments for the CSKT, Lake, Missoula, and Flathead counties have responded to a total of 79 cases in the past five months. Since September 2010, a total of 28 cases have been identified in Lake County, four of which were identified in recent weeks.

Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough, is a contagious disease that is spread through the air by coughing or sneezing droplets onto another person. Pertussis begins like the common cold with a runny nose, low grade fever and mild irritating cough. The cough then progresses into severe coughing spells and a person often coughs until they vomit or have difficulty catching their breath. Sometimes infants, vaccinated children and adults do not have the signature “whoop,” a gasp when trying to catch their breath. The cough is often worse at night and cough medicines are not effective. With increasing Pertussis cases in our community, the health department strongly encourages all parents to be sure they and their children are up to date on immunizations.

Childhood immunization with DTaP, or Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine, offers protection to most children who are immunized. A child is not fully immunized against Pertussis until they have received four doses of DTaP. The vaccine is about 80-85 percent effective. This means that a portion of children who are appropriately immunized may still be susceptible to infection. These children can potentially develop a milder version of the illness and can pass the infection on to others.

For adults who are in contact with infants under one year, it is especially important to have a one-time booster dose of Tdap. While most adults were vaccinated against Pertussis as a child, it decreases over time and adults no longer have remaining immunity against whooping cough. Covering your cough and frequent hand washing are measures people can take every day to prevent spreading respiratory illnesses like Pertussis. The Health Department urges people to contact their health care provider if they learn they have been exposed to Pertussis or if they develop “Pertussis-like” symptoms.