Pertussis Case Under Investigation in Dent County

A positive case of pertussis (whooping cough) was identified in Dent County this week. Communicable Disease staff are investigating close contacts and have provided instructions to affected individuals. The investigation is still underway. The public should be aware that pertussis is a pathogenic respiratory bacteria primarily affecting children and immunocompromised adults and can cause severe illness in these groups if left untreated.

Though overall numbers of RSV and Influenza have decreased recently, other respiratory illnesses continue to circulate. Pertussis can be spread easily amongst unvaccinated children, especially in group settings such as daycares or schools. Many adults are not up-to-date on pertussis vaccination (Tdap) and can spread the illness to young children as well. We recommend everyone to get up-to-date on Tdap vaccination, particularly if you are around children who are too young to be vaccinated or other immunocompromised individuals.

What to Do

1. If your child has a cough:
   1. Keep your child home from school and activities, such as sports or play groups. See items 4 and 5 about when your child can return to these activities.
   1. Make an appointment with your child’s doctor as soon as possible and tell the doctor that your child may have been exposed to whooping cough.
2. If your child has a health condition that may be worse with whooping cough, such as asthma, ask your child’s doctor to prescribe antibiotics to your child as soon as possible to prevent whooping cough. Doctors should give antibiotics to a child with certain health conditions if they may have been exposed to whooping cough, even if he or she is not coughing.
3. If your child lives with any of the following people, ask your child’s doctor to prescribe antibiotics as soon as possible to your child, even if he or she is not coughing:
4. A woman who is pregnant
5. A baby younger than 12 months old
6. Anyone with health conditions that may be worse with whooping cough, such as asthma
7. If your child has been diagnosed with whooping cough by his or her doctor:
   1. Tell the school that a doctor diagnosed your child with whooping cough.
   1. School officials may request that you keep your child home from school and activities, such as sports or play groups, until your child has been on appropriate antibiotics for five days to treat whooping cough.
   1. Ask your child’s doctor for a note that states your child has whooping cough.
8. If your child’s doctor says your child does NOT have whooping cough:
   1. Ask for a note from the doctor telling the school that your child’s cough is NOT whooping cough and that your child can return to school and other activities at any time.