Whooping Cough Cases Grow in DuPage County

In a letter sent out to area schools on Nov. 30, the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) warned that several states have recently seen an increase, or localized outbreaks of pertussis, a disease more commonly known as whooping cough.

So far this year, David Hass, public information officer for the DCHD said the county has record 57 cases, up from 26 cases in 2009 and 13 cases in 2008.

"We're getting it out there and informing the schools," Hass said. "Our goal is to contain it."

While pertussis is highly infectious, DCHD officials say, the symptoms are generally mild. The illness is transmitted through coughing and sneezing and symptoms generally appear five to 10 days after exposure. Symptoms begin with a mild fever and a mild, occasional cough lasting for at least two weeks. But symptoms can become severe, which the DCHD says results in spasmodic coughing that gives whooping cough its distinctive sound.

Generally the disease is mild in older children and adults, Hass said, but it becomes more complicated for older adults, young children and infants, especially those who have incomplete immunizations or no immunizations at all.

"The majority of the cases we are seeing in DuPage are younger than 18 (years of age)," Hass said. "In the younger age group, even the vaccine doesn't protect 100 percent of people," Hass said, but added that for people in high-risk groups, it was important to be vaccinated.

Hass said it was important for people exhibiting symptoms to stay home from school and work to stop the spread of the disease. Pertussis is easily treated with antibiotics, Hass said, but isolation must continue for at least five days after the start of treatment.

So far Glen Ellyn school districts say they have not seen any cases, but officials said they have been in contact with school nurses in case a student is identified with pertussis symptoms.

Rose Schoening, school nurse at Hadley Junior High School said they are keeping a close watch, but so far no students have gotten sick. Schoening said that last year when the schools were concerned about the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus they did outreach with students in every physical education class and that may have had a continued effect this year.

"Last year we reached out to P.E. classes and talked about things like hand washing and covering your cough," Schoening said. "We also have sanitizing gel stations throughout the school and we encourage kids to use those."

Schoening said the best thing for parents to do is to consult their doctors about when their children's last vaccine was administered. She also added that the schools can help. A physical examination is required at the 6th grade level and the school can give parents information about recent vaccinations that way as well.

"The breaks have also been good," Schoening said of a recent five day break from school for the Thanksgiving holiday. "These breaks get the kids away from each other and help stop the spread through the school."

The last major outbreak of whooping cough in DuPage Count was in 2004, with 127 cases reported.

For more information of pertussis vistit the Ceneter for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/