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Kearney sees small outbreak of whooping cough
This information is from Tom
Safranek, M.D., State Epidemiologist
(Feb. 2001) - The Nebraska Office of Epidemiology recently diagnosed a
small outbreak of Pertussis (whooping cough) in Kearney, Nebraska. Pertussis
is an underdiagnosed and underappreciated as a cause of cough and respiratory
illness.
The vaccines for pertussis fail to provide persistent immunity. Immunity
diminishes throughout the school years, such that by the late teenage years,
most persons are susceptible. The illness which occurs in those who have been
vaccinated is generally far less severe than in the unvaccinated.
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Description of an
outbreak in Arizona: As of Feb.
21, 2001, a total of 80 cases of pertussis have been identified in an
outbreak in a community in Pima County, Arizona.
Of the 80 cases, 21 have been categorized as culture confirmed; 50,
epidemiologically linked; and 9, probable. The last culture-confirmed case
had cough onset on December 25. The outbreak began in a middle school, with
cases spreading to students, families, and teachers in surrounding
elementary, middle, and high schools. Of the 80 case-patients, 5 (6%) were
aged <6 years; 38 (48%), 7-13 years; 16 (20%), 14-20 years; and 21
(26%), >20 years (range: 2 months-52 years). Two case-patients have been
hospitalized with lengths of stay ranging from 1 to 2 days. No deaths have
been attributed to this outbreak.
To control this outbreak, Pima County health officials have recommended
infants receive pertussis vaccine on an accelerated schedule and exclusion
of students from any county school who exhibit paroxysmal coughing or any
cough lasting more than one week.
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However, these persons can expose infants and children who have yet to
complete their pertussis vaccination series. Illness in this under-vaccinated
group can be much more severe.
School nurses and other health care providers should be alert to the
possibility of pertussis in persons with persistent cough, and should consider
diagnostic testing. If pertussis is confirmed, infection control practices
can help circumscribe/eliminate an outbreak.
For a more complete discussion, see the
Nebraska Epidemiology Report: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/epi/whooplong.htm
and http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/epi/epiwhoop.htm.
To see an article about Whooping Cough making a comeback, visit the story on C-Health,
a Canadian news & information website.
Last modified: November 12, 2001
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