Pertussis/Whooping Cough Alert

  • Published
  • By 341st Medical Group Public Health Flight
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The City-County Health Department has identified 11 confirmed cases of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in the Great Falls community since October 2007. The CCHD is coordinating with the medical group to treat all close contacts of the confirmed cases that are empanelled to the base clinic.

Ten of the 11 cases have occurred within the Great Falls School district. The ages of the children with confirmed Pertussis range from 13 to 15 years old. The CCHD is identifying and notifying close contacts of the confirmed cases. The medical group will then contact those individuals for preventive treatment and schedule a medical evaluation if symptoms are present.

Pertussis is a bacterial respiratory infection that is seen in all age groups. It is most dangerous for children under 1 year of age, particularly in children less than 6 months old. The disease may begin with cold like symptoms such as a runny nose and a mild sore throat. A mild cough then frequently becomes more severe, and can include cough spasms that may make it hard to catch one's breath. The classic whoop sound during inhalation and at the end of a coughing spasm may or may not be present.

Pertussis is highly communicable especially in the early stages thus making prompt diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of cases and preventive antibiotic treatment of contacts so important. This disease has also been known to be transmitted to vaccinated individuals after protection has worn off after a number of years; hence recent outbreaks in high school and college age individuals.

The 341st Medical Group and the Public Health Flight recommends:
· DTaP vaccination of all children under 7 years of age; Tdap for individuals 11 through 64. Parents or guardians should ensure that their children receive the full DTaP vaccination series for Pertussis (a total of five doses by age 6). 
·  It takes 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to take effect. 
·  If receiving Tdap within two years of Td, expect more than normal local reactions.
· Prompt diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of cases. Anyone with a cough illness lasting two weeks or longer and/or anyone who has attacks of coughing should be evaluated for Pertussis.
· Preventive antibiotics for close contacts of cases. The medical group will contact those individuals for preventive treatment and schedule a medical evaluation if symptoms are present.
· Isolation of sick individuals during the first five days of antibiotic treatment. Anyone starting antibiotics to treat Pertussis should stay at home and avoid contact with all persons outside of the household for five days after starting antibiotics.

Anyone with questions or concerns should call the Public Health Flight at 731-4405.