Disease poses greatest threat to infants
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
Public health officials in western Racine County said Tuesday that there have been one confirmed, one suspected and three probable cases of whooping cough locally in recent weeks.
The bacterial infection that starts out with mild cold-like symptoms and progresses into forceful fits of coughing is most dangerous in infants, who have not been immunized and have no natural defense against the disease, according to a fact sheet prepared by the state Division of Public Health.
Cheryl Mazmanian, director of the Western Racine County Health Department, declined to specify in which communities the various cases originated, but said they’ve been spread throughout the area.
Lindsay Anderson, a public health nurse with the department, said pertussis – which is the formal name for whooping cough – poses a public health threat because of its stealthy onset.
“It starts out very mild … but that is the time they are most contagious,” she said, adding that most people will think they’re coming down with a common cold and won’t restrict their contact with others.
In the case of whooping cough, however, that is when a carrier is most likely to spread the disease.
Anderson said most healthy teens and adults don’t become seriously ill – other than violent coughing spasms that can lead to vomiting. But they do pose a threat to infants and those with compromised immune systems by unknowingly passing on the bacteria.
Anderson’s advice:
“If they have an illness, they should seek attention from their medical provider.”
A nasal swab test is needed to confirm the presence of pertussis.
Once a case is confirmed, public health officials are notified and they step in to help stop the spread of the disease. Oftentimes, according to Anderson, doctors will treat those who’ve had close contact with a carrier preventatively even if they aren’t showing symptoms.
The typical treatment is a five-day to 14-day course of antibiotics, according to the Division of Public Health. Anderson said those undergoing treatment should not return to work, school or day care until the medication is completed.
Whooping cough gets its name from the high-pitched whooping sound sufferers often make when gasping for air after a coughing fit. The whoop is most prevalent in children and is not evident in all cases of the disease.
According to Anderson, health officials recommend infants receive a series of four immunizations against the disease in the first 18 months of life and a booster between the ages of 4 and 6.
Many others 11 and older could benefit from a booster shot as part of the TDAP – tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis – vaccine, she said, advising people to check with their doctors to be sure.
Anderson said immunization is the best prevention.
Public Health officials throughout southeastern Wisconsin have reported cases of the disease in recent weeks.
Mazmanian said it is normal for cases of pertussis to peak every three to five years. “(Public health officials) are also investigating whether there’s a new strain (of pertussis),” she said.
Anderson noted that it appears the disease most recent peak came in 2010 and it is now on a downward trend.
For more information, contact your doctor or visit the Western Racine County Health Department’s website at www.wrchd.org.
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