Whooping cough cases rise in US as vaccination rates decline: What to know about this contagious infection

Whooping cough Cases have quadrupled in the United States compared to last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 14,569 cases of whooping cough have been confirmed so far this year. Last year, a total of 3,475 cases of whooping cough were reported in the United States.

Dr. Tina Tan, president-elect of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, was quoted by NBC News as saying, “With the rise in vaccine hesitancy that has occurred since the Covid-19 pandemic, we are seeing outbreaks in children who are unvaccinated.”

Babies are given the DTaP vaccine, which helps protect them against three diseases: whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. The vaccine works well against diphtheria and tetanus, but is less effective over time against whooping cough. Food and Drug Administration advisers met to discuss the need for stronger, longer-lasting versions of the whooping cough vaccine. Until next-generation vaccines are developed, booster doses are recommended every 10 years, starting in preteens, when children start high school.

Experts say preteens and teens’ immunity to whooping cough has waned, leading to outbreaks in many states. Doctors say the true spread of the highly contagious respiratory infection is vastly underestimated. Dr. Jim Conway, a pediatrician and infectious disease expert at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin, said, “For every case of whooping cough we find, there are probably 10 cases that didn’t get medical attention.”

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. It is a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes a dry cough followed by a sharp inhalation that sounds like a “whoop,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Whooping cough was once considered a childhood disease, but it now affects children who are too young to have completed the full course of vaccines and teens and adults whose immunity has weakened.

The whooping cough bacteria is usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes; tiny germ-laden droplets are dispersed into the air and inhaled into the lungs of anyone nearby.

Symptoms of whooping cough

People who get whooping cough may not have symptoms for seven to ten days, and in some cases even longer. Below, let’s take a look at some of the most common symptoms of whooping cough.

After a few days or two, signs and symptoms tend to get worse. “Thick mucus builds up inside the airways, causing uncontrollable coughing. Severe, prolonged coughing fits can:

Many people do not develop the characteristic whooping cough, but a persistent, nagging cough is the only sign that a teen or adult has whooping cough. Some babies may not cough at all, but have difficulty breathing and sometimes even stop breathing temporarily.

Complications of whooping cough

In most cases, when teenagers and adults are affected by whooping cough, they recover from the illness without any problems. While the illness may not have any direct impact, continued coughing can lead to the following problems.

Complications in babies under 6 months old can be serious and may cause:

According to Mayo Clinic, “Because infants and young children are most at risk for complications from whooping cough, they are more likely to require treatment in a hospital. Complications can be life-threatening in infants younger than 6 months.”