TALLADEGA — At least five cases of whooping cough have been discovered in Talladega County, four among children in Talladega city schools.Three students at Houston Elementary, including two siblings, came down with the uncommon but treatable respiratory infection since the start of school two weeks ago, Schools Superintendent Lee Messer said. Another was found at Graham Elementary, and the preschool-aged child of a teacher at C.L. Salter Elementary was also infected.
Phyllis Coughran, public health immunization manager for the area, said the Health Department was aware of five cases in the Talladega area diagnosed in the last month. Through July, there were only 21 confirmed and 10 probable cases in the entire state this year. St. Clair County health officials said they could not immediately provide official numbers, but they were unaware of any recent cases.
Pertussis is a bacterial infection of the lining of the respiratory tract, Dr. Jim Weems of Talladega Pediatrics said. It occurs most frequently, and presents the most danger, in children under 1.
While a cause for concern, it is readily treated with antibiotics like erythromycin, he said.
“It’s not something people should be scared about,” he said.
The standard immunization schedule is for children to receive pertussis vaccinations at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months and 4 years, Weems said, but the vaccinations do not always last. Alabama law requires proof of pertussis vaccination before a child can enroll in school.
“There’s always been a concern about the fact that immunity from pertussis vaccination is not lifelong,” Weems said. “As you get older, you have decreasing immunity.”
After an incubation period of about seven to 10 days, a patient experiences symptoms resembling a common cold — sneezing, a runny nose, watery eyes, a mild cough and perhaps a fever, he said. Within a week or two, coughing fits develop that are followed by the characteristic “whoop” as the patient attempts to inhale.
The disease is spread through the “respiratory droplets” of an infected person, either through the air or, more commonly, on surfaces a person may have sneezed or coughed on. Those who have prolonged close contact with an infected person, like family members, are most at risk.
Left untreated, it can last six weeks or more and can set up secondary infections like pneumonia, Weems said. Whooping cough was once a leading cause of infant mortality.
Messer said the schools are taking this opportunity to remind students of the importance of proper hygiene.
“We’re going to do whatever we can to minimize the spread of this,” Messer said. “I think the teachers are going to be a bit more observant.”
A simple nasal swab can confirm the presence of pertussis bacteria, Weems said. Parents shouldn’t overreact, but if they suspect their child may have had prolonged contact with a carrier and is presenting symptoms, they should consult their family doctor.
Messer said the School System sent letters to anyone who may have had prolonged contact with an infected student. Health regulations require anyone infected to be excluded from settings like schools or childcare facilities for five days after treatment begins, Coughran said.
The most important step parents can take, Weems said, is to ensure their children have the proper vaccinations. In the 1980s, the rate of pertussis infection was less than one case per 100,000 people. Now that’s more than doubled because some have been less vigilant about immunization, he said.
“Nationwide, there’s been an increase in pertussis because there seems to be a decrease in vaccination,” Weems said. “It’s something we don’t need to turn a blind eye to. Hopefully, starting treatment and getting immunizations back up, we can nip this thing.”
For more information on pertussis and vaccination, visit the Alabama Department of Public Health immunization web page at http://www.adph.org/immunization.
