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July 22, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Texas Officials Deal With Surge in Whooping Cough Cases" Associated Press (www.ap.org) (07/19/02); Stengle, Jamie

Texas is experiencing a resurgence in whooping cough, in part because the state ranks at the bottom of the national average of children under three who are fully immunized, many adults and children are no longer protected by vaccines which last five to 10 years after the last dose, and diagnosing the disease can be difficult.  In 2001, 70 Texas counties reported 615 cases of pertussis and five deaths, and so far this year 378 cases and four infant deaths from whooping cough have been recorded in 41 counties.  David Bastis, program director for surveillance and epidemiology program in the state health department's immunization division, notes that they are trying to refamiliarize patients and their doctors with the disease, so that they will recognize it and get treatment right away.  Though vaccination is the best method say officials, the effects of it may diminish over time, so they are cautioning doctors not to dismiss diagnosing pertussis just because a patient may have been vaccinated, and follow through with a regimen of antibiotics immediately.

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