![]() |
|
July 19th, 2012
09:26 PM ET
Whooping cough cases approaching highest levels in half a century2012 might be a record year for whooping cough in the United States if midyear trends continue. Nearly 18,000 cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so far this year - the highest rates in five years. "That's more than twice as many as we had at the at the same time last year," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC. "We may need to go back to 1959 to find a year with as many cases reported by this time so far, " she said Thursday. Pertussis is a highly contagious illness caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. It easily spreads from person to person when people cough or sneeze. It starts out with symptoms very similar to a cold, but a week or two later, a violent cough develops. It's better known as whooping cough because of the "whooping" sound those infected make when they are violently coughing over and over again and try to inhale. The cough can last for weeks, and children can cough so hard and rapidly that blood vessels can burst. They have difficulty eating, drinking and breathing. Young children are particularly at high risk for serious complications. Schuchat says so far nine babies have died from pertussis this year. She adds that the highest rates of illness have been seen in babies younger than 1, and half of those cases have been infants younger than 3 months old. Whooping cough is vaccine preventable, but newborns can't get the first dose of vaccine until they are 2 months. Then they need four more vaccinations before they turn 7 to get full protection. This is why young children are highly dependent on the people close to them to be vaccinated so they don't pass the disease on to them. "We strongly urge pregnant women and all who will be around babies to be vaccinated. Infants often get pertussis from a family member or household member," said Schuchat. The latest CDC data suggest only 8% of adults get a booster vaccine against pertussis. Schuchat says many states are seeing higher than expected cases of pertussis. One of the states hit hard in this wave of disease is Washington. In April, the Washington State Department of Health declared an epidemic . The department is reporting 3,014 cases as of July 14 - a 1,300% increase compared with the same time in 2011, when they reported 219 cases. Health Secretary Mary Selecky said: "We are seeing the largest number of cases in our state since the early 1940s." Wisconsin is reporting 3,022 confirmed and probable cases so far in 2012. Schuchat says pertussis cases go up and down in waves. She says if the number of cases continue to grow, "we may be on track for record high pertussis rates this year." The last time whooping cough rates were climbing in the U.S. was in 2010, when 27,550 cases of pertussis were reported to the CDC. In addition to high rates of illness among of babies, new data published Thursday in the CDC's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report," shows high rates of whooping cough among 13- to 14-year-old adolescents in Washington. Schuchat says this is something health officials are seeing nationwide as well and is different from previous pertussis outbreaks. Why this is happening isn't entirely clear. Schuchat suggests waning of immunity or a weakening of the protection over time might be part of the what's contributing to these teens getting sick. Health officials acknowledge that vaccines are not perfect, but they do provide the best protection against whooping cough. So the CDC is emphasizing the importance of young children getting their five pertussis vaccinations, then getting the recommended booster shots between 11 and 12 and that adults who will be around babies also getting vaccinated. "In 2010, only 8% of adults had any history of receiving a Tdap booster," said Schuchat. She suggests that clinicians who see patients with a persistent cough consider pertussis as a diagnosis. Then she says doctors should "be proactive with treatment, especially with pregnant women, infants and others who are around infants." |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. |
|
weight loss drugs prescription is canadian healthcare pharmacy legitimate drug store pharmacy
prescription drugs app pharmacy store fixtures and design no 1 canadian pharcharmy online
cialisgeneric viagra / cialis cialis israel
cialis kidney function cialis american express cialis results
online buy cialis cialis usa online how much is cialis in canada
global pharmacy canada reviews drugs from canada with prescription rite aid store hours pharmacy
pharmacy cialis no prescription generic cialis mastercard generic cialis or tadalafil
losartan and cialis recommended dosage of cialis cialisblack
generic cialis dapoxetine viagra cialis generic cialis 2018
cloraquine covid cure chloroquine vs chloroquine phosphate
my canadian pharmacy review flintridge pharmacy la canada buy prescription drugs online cheap
tadalafil uses tadalafil goodrx tadalafin
tadalafil warnings cialis tadalafil tablets ip
tadalafil uses tadalafil online tadalafil softsules tuf 20
does hydroxychloroquine require a prescription chloroquine phosphate generic name how long has hydroxychloroquine been used
tadalafil evolution peptides side effects for tadalafil how long does tadalafil last
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
quinine vs hydroxychloroquine chloroquine for lupus whats hcq
cialis strength online doctor prescription cialis free cialis sample pack
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
cialis free offer cialis 20mg tablets buy cialis c5
10mg cialis review cialis cost at walmart can you buy cialis over the counter in canada
free trial cialis cialis 20mg cialis soft
most reputable canadian pharmacy canadian pharmacy online cialis mark marine pharmacy canada
online pharmacy search online pharmacy reddit canadian pharmacy online adderall
israel pharmacy online list of canadian pharmacies online online pharmacy tech programs with financial aid
list of canadian universities offering master in pharmacy programs list of canadian mail order pharmacies ez pharmacy
420399 479502This internet page is often a walk-through its the internet you wanted about this and didnt know who to question. Glimpse here, and you will definitely discover it. 216787
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
what is hydroxychloroquine tendances du coronavirus – france hydroxychloroquine 400 mg
reputable indian online pharmacy how to get canadian pharmacy to stop calling indian pharmacy online
best price for cialis 20 mg cialis and alcohol symptoms 36 hour cialis
cialis vi is 5 mg cialis enough facts about cialis
order generic cialis by phone originial cialis how to obtain cialis
cialish levitra cialis viagra comparison online cialis pharmacy
global canadian pharmacy Lincocin Avalide
overnight shipping of cialis cialis 10 mg price cialis dapoxetine australia
sildenafil 100mg price usa https://pharmaceptica.com/
Confused about Copyright policies from sites that let you 'digg' articles?
https://twitter.com/katekdesigns
best erectile dysfunction drug https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
tadalafil tablets https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
tadalafil dosage bodybuilding https://www.pharmaceptica.com/