Williamson County & Cities Health District Pertussis (Whooping cough) Update

Transcription

1 Williamson County & Cities Health District Pertussis (Whooping cough) Update IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL DATA FOUND IN THIS WCCHD UPDATE ARE PROVISIONAL. STATISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF CASES MAY CHANGE AFTER INTERNAL REVIEW OR REVIEW BY DSHS OR THE CDC. For 2011, there were 90 cases of pertussis reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services. For 2012, there have been 18 cases of pertussis reported to WCCHD since January 1, This is fewer cases than have been reported in previous years for the same time frame, but this number may increase as additional cases are reported and investigated. Details for these cases can be seen in the figures shown for descriptive epidemiology. Descriptive Epidemiology Chart 1. Comparison with previous years - Pertussis reported as of March 28, Cases Reported After March 28 to the end of the year (previous years only) Cases Reported as of March 28 WCCHD Pertussis Update as of March 28, 2012 Page 1

2 Confirmed & Probable Cases Chart 2. Pertussis Cases by Event Month (usually date symptoms first started)* Jan 11 Mar 11 May 11 Jul 11 Sep 11 Nov 11 Jan 12 Mar 12 May 12 *Chart does not reflect suspected cases currently under investigation. Last two months of the chart should be interpreted with caution; the case counts for these months may increase as investigations are completed. Table Pertussis Cases Reported to WCCHD by Area Area* Austin Cedar Park Georgetown Granger Hutto Jarrell Leander Liberty Hill Round Rock Taylor Totals Table 2. Pertussis Cases Reported to WCCHD by Age Age Group < Total WCCHD Pertussis Update as of March 28, 2012 Page 2

3 Table 3. Pertussis Cases Reported to WCCHD by Gender Gender Male Female Table 4. Pertussis Cases Reported to WCCHD by Race Race Asian Black/African American Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White Unknown Table 5. Pertussis Cases Reported to WCCHD by Ethnicity Ethnicity non-hispanic Hispanic Unknown Table Pertussis Hospitalizations by Age Group Age Group (years) Admitted to Hospital ER Visit Only < Total 3 1 WCCHD Pertussis Update as of March 28, 2012 Page 3

4 About Pertussis Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes coughing. Anyone can get pertussis. In babies, pertussis can be life threatening. Babies often get pertussis from older children or adults whose symptoms are milder. Illness Signs and Symptoms Pertussis may begin like a cold, with a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and cough. After one to two weeks, cough gets worse and usually starts occurring in strong coughing fits. This type of coughing may last for six or more weeks. There is generally no fever during this time. In young children, coughing fits are often followed by a whooping sound as they try to catch their breath. After coughing, a person may vomit, have difficulty catching their breath, or become blue in the face. The coughing spells may be so bad that it is hard for babies to eat, drink, or breathe. The cough is often worse at night, and cough medicines usually do not help reduce the cough. Between coughing spells, the person often appears to be well. Some babies may only have apnea (failure to breathe) and can die from this. Children who have been vaccinated against pertussis as well as adults and teens often have milder symptoms that mimic bronchitis or asthma. Pertussis outbreaks are often discovered after investigating a seriously ill child or hospitalized infant. Hospitalizations of older children and adults serve as a reminder that pertussis can be a serious disease in older age groups. Although symptoms in adults are usually mild and go unreported or not attributed to pertussis, cases have been documented with broken blood vessels in eyes, bruising of face, and broken ribs due to coughing. There were no pertussis related deaths reported for Williamson County in How is Pertussis Spread? The bacteria that cause pertussis are found in fluids from the mouth and nose of someone with pertussis. The bacteria are spread when fluid containing the bacteria gets in your nose or mouth. This can happen when a person with pertussis coughs or sneezes on you, or by touching the fluid and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. In general, a person is at greater risk of getting pertussis if they are within three feet of someone with pertussis for at least 10 hours a week; this is considered close contact. The period between exposure to the bacteria and onset of illness is usually 7 to 10 days but may be as long as 21 days. Treatment and Prevention Antibiotics are used to treat the infected person and their close contacts. Persons hospitalized with severe pertussis may need special treatments to help them through prolonged periods of coughing. Pertussis can be prevented among household members and others in close contact with an infected person by treating the exposed persons with antibiotics, even if they have been vaccinated. WCCHD Pertussis Update as of March 28, 2012 Page 4

5 Immunization of infants and children is a key strategy for controlling the spread of pertussis. It is vital infants start their immunizations on time and stay on schedule to reduce the risk of serious complications due to pertussis. Reporting Requirements Suspected pertussis must be reported within one working day. Several Texas laws (Health & Safety Code, Chapters 81, 84, and 87) require specific information regarding notifiable conditions be provided to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Health care providers, hospitals, laboratories, schools, and others are required to report patients who are suspected of having a notifiable condition (Chapter 97, Title 25, Texas Administrative Code ). Online Resources Local and Texas Statistics: National Statistics (including vaccination): Hospitalizations in Children: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention information on pertussis: For more information contact the WCCHD Communicable Disease Management Program at (512) or Mindy Powell, RN (mpowell@wcchd.org), Program Lead. WCCHD Pertussis Update as of March 28, 2012 Page 5