Whooping cough reported in schools - Adolescents affected by outbreak

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Whopping cough reported in schools Adolescents affected by outbreak

By a Woodhull / pwoodhull@...

Tuesday, November 26, 2002

Whooping cough is showing up in local high schools and administrators and

public health officials are keeping an eye on the situation.

Cases of whooping cough, a contagious respiratory ailment, have been

reported at Silver Lake High School, and next door in the Whitman-Hanson

Regional School District.

At Silver Lake High School one more incident of whooping cough has been

reported, bringing the total number to 13 this fall, according to principal

Kelley.

At Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, 12 cases have been reported so far,

up from a handful of cases two weeks ago.

Statewide this year, there have been 475 confirmed cases of whooping cough.

The outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, first began being noticed in

some area schools earlier in November. The occurrence of whooping cough is

not unusual for this time of year and throughout the winter, according to

Roseanne Pawelec of the state Department of Public Health.

The number of cases being reported should be monitored but is no cause for

closing schools, state officials have said. The disease is easily spread

within schools and from school to school via sports activities and other

contact.

Area schools are following the procedure outlined by the state Health

Department which involves sending a letter home to parents and all students

who have been exposed to the whooping cough.

Whooping cough is an extremely contagious bacterial disease that produces

cold-like symptoms in the early stage. It can show up during adolescence

when youths who were inoculated as infants begin to lose their immunity.

Infants who have not been immunized are at risk of coming down with

pertussis and developing serious complications. Most infants today are

immunized against pertussis as part of their routine pediatric visits. The

vaccine first became available in the 1940s.

Among those whose immunity has worn off, the disease starts out with a runny

nose and nagging cough which eventually - in a week or two in some cases -

may develop into a cough with a " whooping " sound. Vomiting may occur after

severe coughing spells.

Symptoms of pertussis appear 6 to 21 days after exposure to the bacteria.

More serious complications are less likely in older children and adults who

have been immunized. The method of treatment is antibiotics.

Protection against pertussis lasts 5 to 10 years after the last

immunization - the reason why whooping cough shows up in adolescents.

Vaccination against pertussis is included in the series of DTP vaccines

given to infants and young children starting at age 2 months. The last dose

is usually given between the ages of 4 and 6.

Because the disease is so contagious, spread by airborne droplets, any

adolescent or adult who is diagnosed with pertussis should avoid contact

with others until they are no longer contagious.