Wednesday, July 17th, 2019
2 cases of whooping cough reported
By Leslie Gartrell
CELINA - The Mercer County Health District on Tuesday reported two confirmed cases of pertussis.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis.
The ages of the two reported victims are 8 years and 11 months. The cases have no known link and those affected live in different areas of Mercer County.
Immunization with the pertussis vaccine is the most important measure to control pertussis. One confirmed victim reportedly was fully immunized for pertussis and the other had not received any immunizations at this time.
Mercer County Health District officials encourage all people to be up-to-date with the DTaP vaccine from ages 6 weeks to 6 years and Tdap for those 7 years old and older. The vaccine also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.
Mercer County Health District Director of Nursing Julia Shaffer and epidemiologist Deb Sheer advised that early treatment of pertussis is very important. The earlier a person, especially an infant, starts treatment the better, they said.
Those with pertussis are infectious from the beginning of the catarrhal stage (symptoms of the common cold: runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever) through the third week after the onset of paroxysms (multiple, rapid coughs) or until five days after the start of effective antimicrobial treatment, Shaffer explained.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, all students entering school should have received a minimum of four doses of DTaP with the last dose being received on or after 4 years of age. In addition, in 2011, a progressive requirement was added for seventh-graders to receive a booster Tdap dose.
The spread of pertussis can be limited by decreasing the infectivity of the patient and by protecting close contacts of the patient, ODH said.
Whooping cough nothing to sneeze at:
Whooping cough is a common, highly contagious respiratory infection. Although people of any age can catch the disease, babies are particularly vulnerable.
Symptoms
• Prolonged, often violent coughing episodes.
• 'Whooping' or wheezing sound between breaths.
• Moderate fever, runny nose, possible vomiting.
How long does whooping cough last?
Weeks, even months.
How do you treat whooping cough?
See your doctor. Get rest. Drink plenty of fluids, expecially juices. Prevent transmission.
