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Health Department Confirms Increase of Pertussis Cases

(Mason City) – The Iowa Department of Public Health confirms an increase of pertussis (whooping cough) cases throughout the state of Iowa. Disease Prevention and Investigation Officials at the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health urge individuals to look at their immunization records and their children’s records to make sure they are up-to-date on their pertussis immunizations.

Pertussis is highly contagious and can be serious, even deadly for infants. The illness is caused by bacteria that are spread when someone with the illness coughs or sneezes on someone else.

Symptoms of pertussis look a lot like the common cold at first. Individuals will present with a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, mild fever and a dry cough. Within two weeks, symptoms worsen and a severe cough develops, which may:

• Cause coughing ‘fits,’ making it difficult to breathe.
• Be more severe at night interfering with sleep.
• Bring up thick phlegm.
• Cause vomiting.
• End with a high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound when breathing in after a series of coughs (this is most common among young children).

The best way to prevent pertussis is to be up-to-date on pertussis immunizations. Children should receive the pertussis-containing vaccine series beginning at 2 months of age, and routinely complete 5 vaccinations before starting school. By adolescence, immunity from the pre-school vaccination series begins to wane. Adolescents should receive a one-time dose of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine at age 11 or 12. Adults 19 years and older who have not previously received Tdap vaccine, should also receive a single dose of Tdap.

“It’s extremely important individuals (parents, siblings, grandparents and childcare providers) around small infants are protected against pertussis as this illness can be life threatening for the young children,” says Karen Crimmings, Disease Prevention and Investigation Service Manager for the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health. “Adolescents and adults who have not received a pertussis-containing vaccination since childhood are no longer immune to the illness; leaving them at risk to spread the disease to young children if they become ill with pertussis.”

Other ways to prevent pertussis, and the spread of all illness, include:
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Stay home when ill.
• If you have pertussis, you should stay home for 21 days after symptoms begin, or until you have completed five full days of antibiotics.

Pertussis is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics cure the infection and stop individuals from spreading the disease; however, the cough may continue for weeks or even months.

The Health Department’s Immunization Clinic offers the Tdap vaccine and also provides the Vaccine for Children (VFC) Program for children through the age of 18 that meet any of the following criteria:
• Child has no health insurance coverage.
• Child is American Indian or Alaskan Native.
• Child is enrolled in Medicaid.
• Child is under-insured. This means the child’s health insurance does not cover the cost of immunizations.

Our Immunization Clinic is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 AM – noon and 12:30 – 4:00 PM.
For more information about immunizations, please visit our website at www.cghealth.com or call (641) 421-9324.

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