The Richland County Health Department would like to inform and provide some prevention information to readers regarding the seven cases of pertussis which have been identified in Dawson County as of Feb. 22.
Pertussis or Whooping cough is a contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria attach to the cilia (tiny, hair-like extensions) that line part of the upper respiratory system. The bacteria release toxins, which damage the cilia and cause inflammation (swelling).
The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. After 1-2 weeks, severe coughing can begin. Unlike the common cold, pertussis can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks. Whooping cough can cause severe coughing with a “whooping” sound or severe coughing that may lead to difficulty breathing, vomiting and disturbed sleep. The disease can be life threatening for infants and can cause moderate to severe illness in adults. Infants and the elderly may need hospitalization and/or supportive care if the disease is bad enough.
Symptoms
Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale with a loud “whooping” sound. This extreme coughing can cause you to throw up and be very tired. The “whoop” is often not there and the infection is generally milder (less severe) in teens and adults, especially those who have been vaccinated.
Early symptoms can last for 1-2 weeks and usually include: runny nose, low-grade fever (generally minimal throughout the course of the disease), mild, occasional cough, apnea—a pause in breathing (in infants).
After two weeks, Whooping cough is characterized by one or more of the following symptoms which may last 6-10 weeks: prolonged cough (lasting for a week or more); long spells of coughing with spasms; Coughing with a whooping sound; Coughing that leads to gagging or vomiting.
Symptoms of pertussis usually develop within 7–10 days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as 6 weeks.
Transmission
Pertussis is a very contagious disease only found in humans and is spread from person to person. It is spread by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Sick persons are most infectious early in the illness, but ability to pass on the disease may persist for three weeks after onset of cough.
Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.
Pertussis vaccines are very effective in protecting you from disease but no vaccine is 100% effective. When pertussis is circulating in the community, there is a chance that a fully vaccinated person, of any age, can catch this very contagious disease. If you have been vaccinated, the infection is usually less severe. If you or your child develops a cold that includes a severe cough or a cough that lasts for a long time, it may be pertussis. The best way to know is to contact your doctor.
People who have any of the above symptoms should call their health-care provider to be evaluated, tested or treated for whooping cough. People who may have been exposed to a person that was confirmed as having pertussis should call their health care provider for recommendations. People who do not have any symptoms or were not exposed to the infected person do not need to be tested or treated.
Diagnosis
Pertussis can be diagnosed by taking into consideration if you have been exposed to pertussis and by doing a: history of typical signs and symptoms; physical examination; laboratory test which involves taking a sample of secretions (with a swab or syringe filled with saline) from the back of the throat through the nose.
Treatment
Pertussis is generally treated with antibiotics and early treatment is very important. Treatment may make your infection less severe if it is started early, before coughing fits begin. Treatment can also help prevent spreading the disease to close contacts (people who have spent a lot of time around the infected person) and is necessary for stopping the spread of pertussis. Treatment after three weeks of illness is unlikely to help because the bacteria are gone from your body, even though you usually will still have symptoms. This is because the bacteria have already done damage to your body.
What can you do?
Remind everyone about the following precautions that are important in decreasing the spread of many illnesses including pertussis (whooping cough):
Make sure your immunizations are up-date. There are two types of whooping cough vaccines – DTaP for infants and children and Tdap for adolescents and adults.
Frequent hand washing with soap and water. Hand washing is one of the best preventive measures, not only for whooping cough, but for all diseases.
Using good respiratory manners. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and throw away the tissue after use. Cough into your sleeve.
Staying home from work or other recreational activities when you’re ill. This will help prevent the spread of illness to your friends, co-workers and family.
Because pertussis outbreaks can spread rapidly, health agencies work quickly to investigate each pertussis case. Persons who have close contact with a pertussis case may be treated with antibiotics to prevent illness. Fully vaccinated children and adults are less likely to become ill. If illness occurs in those that are fully vaccinated, the illness is generally milder.
Parents may contact their health-care provider or their local health department if they have questions about themselves or their child’s vaccination status.
There are no positive cases in Richland County at this time. As of Feb. 23, the State of Montana has currently 35 confirmed cases. Number of cases for Montana in the past years: 134 cases (unofficial count) for 2011; 122 cases in 2010; 62 cases in 2009; 84 cases in 2008; and 44 cases in 2007.
For more information about your vaccination status or whooping cough, call your health-care provider or Richland County Health Department at 406-433-2207. Also on the web at http://www.richland.org.
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