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Indiana Ag News Headlines |
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Whooping Cough Makes an Appearance in Indiana
Indiana Ag Connection - 12/17/2018
It starts with a simple cough but can explode into a vicious string of coughing spells and "whooping" sounds.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is caused by bacteria that infects the respiratory system and was recently reported in Tippecanoe and Benton counties. Libby Richards is an assistant professor of nursing at Purdue University's School of Nursing in West Lafayette, where she specializes in health and wellness, vaccinations and public health issues.
"The best thing to do is be immunized against pertussis," Richards said. "Children are recommended to get five doses of the Tdap immunization during these age intervals: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years. However, we know that the immunity wanes over time, and boosters are needed. Tdap is a booster immunization given around age 11 and again at least once in adulthood. This booster should also be given to pregnant women between 27-36 weeks gestation. Caregivers of babies should also receive a booster."
Whooping cough can be easily spread because it is airborne. When someone with pertussis breathes, coughs or sneezes, the bacteria enters into the air and can infect non-vaccinated people.
Symptoms often start mild and can appear to be a common cold, so people are contagious without knowing they have pertussis. It can take up to seven to 10 days for initial symptoms to appear after exposure. These initial symptoms include runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes, fever and cough. The disease worsens after one to two weeks, when thick mucus starts to develop in the lungs, which causes the violent, uncontrollable coughing. These coughing spells often result in vomiting and tend to make a "whoop" sound with the next breath of air.
Young children and babies are typically most severely impacted by whooping cough. Babies under 1 year of age often need to be hospitalized for pertussis. On average, up to 20 babies die each year in the U.S. because they are too young to be vaccinated against pertussis.
"What is especially troublesome is typically healthy individuals may not develop this classic cough and, therefore, not realize they have the disease, which can further contribute to the spread of the disease" Richards said. "Infants are also unlikely to develop a cough; rather, they display difficulty breathing and sometimes develop periods of apnea, which is where they stop breathing."
If a person believes they have the symptoms of whooping cough, they should seek medical attention from a primary health care provider. Antibiotics can help speed recovery, but cough medicines are not effective on the cough. Exposed family members may also be given antibiotics. It is also important to isolate oneself as much as possible to limit the spread; this means do not go to work, school or public areas.
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