Whooping Cough Cases rise throughout Texas May 16, 2012 Local health officials are warning the public to take seriously any extended coughing you think may be just the common cold. In Texas, cases of Pertussis, better known as whooping cough, are approaching numbers not seen in decades.(Stamps, 2012) Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection caused by the Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis bacteria. It is a serious disease that can cause permanent disability in infants and even death. (Unknown Author, 2011) Experts say it looks and feels like a regular cold: runny nose, congestion and sneezing. But at some point, Pertussis turns into a cough that won't go away.(Stamps, 2012) In 2010, there were more than 27,000 cases of it in the U.S.. Twenty-seven of those were fatal - most of them babies. Anna Dragsbaek with the Immunization Partnership says, "Pertussis is on the rise in Texas. In several counties, they're experiencing near epidemic rates. We're seeing the highest of pertussis that we've seen in 50 years. And so it is a very serious comeback of a disease that was almost eradicated." Most people know pertussis as whooping cough. Health experts say the best prevention is vaccination. Dragsbaek wants to get the information out particularly to the local low income Hispanic community.(Stamps, 2012) She continues by saying that researchers don't really know why more cases of whooping cough are found in Hispanics. Some of the possibilities may be because low income Hispanics tend to have extended families living in the same household and they may also have less access to vaccinations.(Stamps, 2012) Health officials say since infants can't be vaccinated, it's extremely important that the parents are, so that the entire family can be protected.(Stamps, 2012) For more information on how you can prevent Pertussis or getting vaccinated against Pertussis, please contact your Primary Health Care provider. |