Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Information for Parents and Caregivers

December 15, 2011- Grant County has 57 cases of Pertussis from various communities in Grant County.

Pertussis is a vaccine preventable disease. Pertussis causes coughing that makes it hard to eat, drink, or breathe. Babies younger than 6 months who get pertussis often must be hospitalized. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.

Babies need 4 DTaP vaccines
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 15 - 18 months

THEN one more at 4 - 6 years.

You need a Tdap booster!
Because immunity from Pertussis vaccine or disease wears off, older children, teens, and adults can help protect themselves and babies from Pertussis by getting a Tdap booster.

DTaP and Tdap vaccines also include protection from two additional diseases Diptheria and Tetanus.

Vaccine Fact Sheets:
DTaP English Spanish Russian Tdap English Spanish

Symptoms.

• Symptoms appear 6 to 21 (average 7-10) days after exposure to an infected person.
  
• Starts with cold symptoms or simply a dry cough followed by episodes of severe coughing. Fever is absent or mild.
  
• Gagging or vomiting may occur after severe coughing spells. Cough may be worse at night.
  
• The person may look and feel healthy between coughing episodes.
  
• Immunized school children, adolescents, and adults often have milder illness than young children.
  
• Infants with Pertussis may not develop a severe cough. They may only have a mild cough, decreased feeding, and may have difficulty breathing or turn bluish.
  

How it's spread.

• Pertussis is spread through droplets from the mouth and nose when a person with Pertussis coughs, sneezes, or talks.
  
• Untreated, persons with Pertussis can spread the infection for several weeks.
  
• Adults and older children with unrecognized Pertussis often spread the infection to others, including young children.
  

Who gets it.

• Anyone who is exposed to the bacteria can get Pertussis.
  
• Pertussis vaccine prevents severe disease in young infants, but even a vaccinated person can get pertussis infection.
  
• Pertussis occurs in older children and adults because protection from the vaccine (DTP or DTaP) lasts only 5-10 years after the last dose.
  

Who is at greatest risk.

• Infants less than one year old are considered at high risk for complications of Pertussis, including hospitalization, pneumonia, convulsions, and rarely, brain damage or death.
  
• Nearly all infants with Pertussis get the infection from an infected adult.
  
• Unimmunized or partly immunized children are also at higher risk for Pertussis infection and severe disease.
  
• Pregnant women with Pertussis near the time of delivery may spread it to their newborns.
  
• Persons who have close contact with pregnant women, infants, or health care workers can spread Pertussis to these high risk individuals.
  
• Health care workers with Pertussis who have face-to-face patient contact can spread Pertussis to their patients and other health care staff.
  

Treatment.

• Treatment is most effective early in the disease. A health care provider must prescribe an antibiotic to treat Pertussis.
  
• Persons treated with antibiotics are no longer contagious after the first 5-7 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment have been completed.
  

Prevention.

Pertussis vaccine is included in DTaP and the new Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults.

• Pertussis vaccine is included in DTaP for children and the new Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults.
  
• Before age 7, children should get 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine.
  
• Up to 5 DTaP doses are required for Kindergarten entry and one Tdap booster is required for entry into 6-9 grades.
  
• Tdap should be given as a single booster dose to 11-64 year old individuals. (At this time in Grant County a Tdap booster is recommended for all people 11 years and older.)
  
• Unfortunately adults lose their immunity to Pertussis over time, family members and caregivers of infants should be up-to-date with their Pertussis vaccinations.
  
• To protect their babies, women should get the Tdap booster before, during or immediately after pregnancy.
  
• All healthcare workers and child care providers should be fully immunized for Pertussis.
  
• Persons with an unexplained cough should avoid contact with infants and expectant mothers, including visiting or working in labor, delivery, and nursery areas of hospitals.
  
• Students and staff with an unexplained cough should be considered for exclusion from school and child care.
  
• If you live or have close contact with someone who has Pertussis, you should take antibiotics to prevent Pertussis – contact your health care provider.
  

CDC Pertussis web page: www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/index.html

WA State Department of Health Pertussis fact sheet: www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/factsheet/pertussis.htm

Kid friendly Pertussis fact sheet: cdc.gov/pertussis/downloads/BAM-villain-for-kids-fs.pdf

Grant County Health District: Pertussis Family Checklist