DOBSON — while Surry County hasn’t experienced a case of whooping cough since 2010, there have been reported cases in Virginia and area officials are on the alert.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is an endemic and a common disease in the United States, with periodic epidemics every three to five years and frequent outbreaks. in 2010, 27,550 cases of pertussis were reported and many more cases go unreported.

Theresa Hughes, the lead communicable disease nurse at the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center, said Surry County’s last case of whooping cough happened in the summer of 201o.

“this is a highly contagious, respiration infection. The symptoms are runny nosy, sneezing, watery eyes, which later turn into a coughing attack that has a high pitched whoop at the end,” said Hughes.

The primary goal of pertussis outbreak control efforts is to decrease morbidity (amount of disease) and mortality (death) among infants; a secondary goal is to decrease morbidity among persons of all ages.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis. Confirmed pertussis cases among children in 2012 have occurred in a number of states including New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The CDC said the recommended pertussis vaccine for children is called DTaP. this is a safe and effective combination vaccine that protects children against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. for maximum protection against pertussis, children need five DTaP shots. The first three shots are given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The fourth shot is given at 15 through 18 months of age, and a fifth shot is given when a child enters school, at 4 through 6 years of age. If a 7-10 year old is not up-to-date with DTaP vaccines, a dose of Tdap should be given before the 11-12 year old check up.

After someone is diagnosed, it’s recommended that they rest at home for at least five days.

Verona Danley, the communicable disease nurse for the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center, said the best treatment for the whooping cough is the antibiotic Azithromycin.

“get to your doctor early. get treatment,” said Danley.

According to state communicable disease branch, there were 126 cases of whooping cough in North Carolina in 2011. there were 343 cases in 2010.

Hughes said the disease may be on the rise because vaccinations wane over time and need to be updated. after getting the vaccine, the patient has a better chance of catching the disease because they have not reached full immunity from vaccine.

It is recommended that all adults get a one-time booster dose. Hughes said adults especially need the vaccine if they are going to be around infants 12 months or younger.

The adult whooping cough vaccine is available. It is important for new and expecting parents, as well as all adults who will be around newborns and for babies to get the vaccine. The Surry County Health and Nutrition Center offers the adult vaccines for $64.80. Some insurance plans cover the vaccines, but most do not, said Marion. Medicare does not cover the cost of the vaccine.

Hughes said once a patient is diagnosed with whooping cough, antibiotics are prescribed, so that the person will be less infectious to other people.

“The ‘whoop’ last for about two weeks, but at doesn’t mean infectious,” said Hughes.

Reach Mondee Tilley at or at 719-1930.

HelloLife™ Home » Explore Home » Children’s Health » NCBI on Whooping Cough: Risk Factors, Causes, Symptoms

According to the Mayo Clinic, whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. this condition often starts like the common cold, advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Patients may experience runny nose or congestion and sneezing. after one to two weeks, severe coughing can begin. that coughing can make it hard to breathe, sucking the air out of the lungs until the patient tries to take a breath with a deep “whoop” sound.

Whooping cough is caused by the Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis bacteria. According to the University of Wisconsin, this is a rod-shaped bacterium that triggers the body’s immune response. the immune system senses a cytokine reaction, which is toxic to the body. as a result, the body initiates inflammation of the tissues and blood vessels.

The Mayo Clinic explains that in the first half of the 20th century, whooping cough was a leading cause of childhood illness and death in the United States. after the first vaccine was introduced, the number of affected people gradually declined, reaching a low in the mid-1970s. Since that time, however, the incidence of whooping cough has begun to increase, particularly among children too young to have completed the full course of vaccinations. Teenagers and adults with compromised immunity are also at risk.

Two important theories explain the latest rise in whooping cough cases. the vaccine received in childhood eventually wears off, which leaves most teenagers and adults susceptible to the infection during outbreaks, which regularly occur. moreover, children are not fully immune to whooping cough until they receive at least three shots, which leaves those six months and younger at risk of contracting the infection.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), when an infected person sneezes or coughs, tiny droplets containing the bacteria move through the air, whereby whooping cough is easily spread among people. Once inside the airways, the bacteria multiply and produce toxins that interfere with the respiratory tract’s ability to sweep away germs. the Mayo Clinic indicates thick mucus accumulates inside the airways, causing uncontrollable coughing. Inflammation caused by the bacteria may also narrow breathing tubes in the lungs, which leaves one gasping for air.

The NCBI states infection often lasts six weeks and may require hospitalization. Initial symptoms often develop about one week after exposure to the bacteria. Severe episodes of coughing may start 10 to 12 days later. the whoop noise heard during breathing is rare in patients under six months of age and in adults. those patients may, instead, have deep fits of coughing. those fits may lead to vomiting or a short loss of consciousness. In infants, choking spells are also common. Patients may also experience a slight fever (102 degrees F or lower) and diarrhea.

Additional symptoms of whooping cough, as provided by the Mayo Clinic, include the following:

• Red, watery eyes
• Dry cough
• Thick phlegm
• Red or blue face that ensues from coughing
• Extreme fatigue

Sources:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002528

mayoclinic.com/health/whooping-cough/DS00445

cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis/

bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/wolf_bri2/

DECATUR – Earlier this month, the Macon County Health Departmentreported an increase in pertussis, commonly known as whoopingcough. According to a recent news release, threelaboratory-confirmed cases and two probable cases were identifiedin early December, a trend that holds true in Illinois and otherstates.

As of the beginning of December, 813 cases of pertussis had beenreported in Illinois for 2010 – 165 more than were seen in all of2009. According to the release, California has reported 10 infantdeaths from pertussis this year.

Pertussis is especially dangerous to infants, who cannot bevaccinated. They experience more serious illness and are morelikely to require hospitalization or have serious complications,the release said.

The illness, which begins with a cough and symptoms similar tothose of a cold, can occur between five and 21 days after exposure.According to the health department, after initially appearing, thesymptoms worsen over a period of weeks and can cause coughingspasms and the characteristic “whoop” of breathing inafterwards.

“Some adolescents and adults may demonstrate a milder form ofthe illness, so mild they don’t even know they are sick,” therelease stated.

The health department’s communicable disease department isimplementing a variety of strategies designed to reduce the spreadof the disease. One initiative involves educating medical providersabout the importance of recognizing pertussis symptoms early andfollowing up with proper tests, treatments and reporting.

Advising those who have been in close contact with reportedpertussis cases and reminding those with symptoms to stay home andaway from those at risk of complications are among the otherelements of the department’s effort.

The health department also advises that parents and caregiversof infants and those who have never received a tetanus, diphtheriaand pertussis (Tdap) vaccination do so to help protect those athigh risk of complications and themselves.

The Macon County Health Department will provide the Tdap vaccineat no charge for adult caregivers and parents of WIC infantsthrough Dec. 29. the vaccine also is available at many area medicalproviders’ offices or at the health department from 1 to 3:30 p.m.Wednesdays for $53, according to the release.

For more information, call 423-6988 or visitmaconcountyhealth.org.

i think my mom has whooping cough so i want to know a little more about it.

It's highly contagious. there is a vaccine for it.

It sounds just like an ordinary coughing fit until the end–when she draws in air, it should sound like a whistling sort of "whoop."

If you haven't been exposed yet, get the vaccine.

I'm 12 years old and i think i might have the whooping cough, i'm not sure. I still have'nt gotten my TDAP shot, but i was supposed to next week. Is the disease contagious? How long does it last? I've been coughing, having a sore throat, etc. I started feeling sick 4 days ago. its worse at night and in the very morning.help.

usually, a mild fever in the first week. you'll have a scratchy throat. and coughing. later, you'll start choking when you cough. these choking attacks can last up to 1 or 2 minutes. vomiting and suffocation can occur. only 50% of people with whooping cough whoop.

i'm not making this up to scare you. believe me. i have whooping cough right now. ever since the 28th of june. i went to this one website. it will really help you. much better than i can. just go to the website below and click enter. i'm not some spammer tricking you for your email.

For Pennsylvania, 2010 is on track to be a record year for whooping cough.

More cases of the highly contagious illness, also known as pertussis, have been reported so far this year than in any year since 2005, according to statistics from the state Department of Health. many of those cases have been among 8-year-olds to 12-year-olds, spokeswoman Holli Senior said.

So far this year, 754 cases of whooping cough have been reported to the Department of Health. About 300 of those occurred in the past two months.

In 2009, there were 615 reported cases, the most since at least 2005.

"it is a busy year for pertussis," Senior said.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial illness spread by coughing or sneezing. The first symptoms of the disease are similar to those of the common cold. after about 10 or 12 days, those afflicted develop a severe cough that sometimes ends with a "whoop" as they try to catch their breath.

The disease is most dangerous in infants, who usually do not make the whooping sound and sometimes stop breathing during coughing fits. in otherwise healthy people, it is not usually life-threatening.

The disease is treated with antibiotics, which are more effective if whooping cough is diagnosed early.

A whooping-cough vaccine is required or recommended to enroll in elementary school in many Pennsylvania districts. But immunity can wear off over time, and a booster shot is now recommended for adolescents.

In November, the health department recommended that all Pennsylvanians ensure they are vaccinated against pertussis, saying "most adolescents and adults are susceptible to the disease."

The department recommended a booster shot for people aged 10 to 64 who are not fully immunized, women of childbearing age before or immediately after pregnancy, anyone who has contact with pregnant women or infants too young to be vaccinated, and all family members or caregivers of infants.

Cases have been on the rise in York, Delaware, Clarion and Venango counties, and the health department offered free vaccines in those areas.

In other areas, the department recommended talking to a doctor or other health-care professional. Vaccinations are also available at some Rite Aid locations.