Currently three children attending Page Street Elementary meet the clinical case definition of having Pertussis, also known as whooping cough. A clinical case of pertussis is defined as a cough lasting at least two weeks with one of the following: paroxysms of coughing, inspiratory “whoop” or vomiting after coughing. The Communicable Disease staff is working closely with the children and the school nurse to address questions and concerns, to plan appropriate notifications, prevention and control measures, if they become indicated. It is also important to note that these children have not been laboratory culture confirmed for pertussis.
Pertussis is a severe cough illness caused by bacteria that is highly communicable or contagious. Pertussis is spread through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Children who are up-to-date on their pertussis vaccinations are less likely to develop this illness but the vaccine is not 100 percent effective.
After exposure to pertussis, symptoms may develop from 6 to 20 days later, but are frequently noticed within 7 to 10 days. Early symptoms are similar to the common cold with runny nose, watery eyes and a mild, occasional cough. Within one to two weeks later, the cough worsens and occurs in spells often associated with gagging, vomiting or difficulty breathing. Between spells, the person often appears to be well. Young children may have an unusual breathing sound, known as whooping, when they breathe in during coughing spells. Older children and adults have milder symptoms with a long lasting cough.
People exposed to whooping cough need antibiotics to stop the disease. As a precaution antibiotics are given to close contacts of the pertussis cases to prevent further cases. Even those exposed who are up to date on their pertussis vaccine need to be treated. Those contacts who are not fully vaccinated and who do not get treated will not be able to return to child care, school or other group activities for a period of up to three weeks after they were exposed.
Without treatment an infected person can spread pertussis for 21 days after start of the cough. After five days of treatment with an appropriate antibiotic, an infected person cannot spread the disease.
It is important that you take the following steps to ensure your family’s health and to help stop the spread of pertussis:
• Routine immunization is the best measure. For older children and adults, there is a pertussis vaccine available, called Tdap. Adolescents 11 through 18 years of age should get one booster dose of Tdap. Adults 19 through 64 years of age should substitute Tdap for one booster dose of Td.
• A person with pertussis should stay home and avoid close contact with others until the full course of appropriate antibiotic treatment for pertussis has been completed.
• If you live with or have close contact with someone who has pertussis, you might need to take antibiotics to prevent pertussis-contact your health care provider.
• A person with any cough illness should avoid contact with infants and expectant mothers including visiting or working in labor delivery and nursery areas of hospitals and in child care settings.
• Please monitor your child for cold symptoms, and if they occur, talk to your child’s doctor or the health department. Tell your doctor that clinical cases of pertussis have been reported in your child’s school.
• Follow good hygiene measures by washing hands and covering your nose and mouth when sneezing and/or coughing.
Montgomery County Health Department and Montgomery County Schools are notifying people who will need treatment. “Montgomery County School officials are to be commended for their assistance, cooperation and proactive approach to this situation,” said Julie Clark, RN, Interim Health Director.
For questions about pertussis contact your health care provider or the Montgomery County Health Department at 572-1393.
