Pertussis is a very contagious bacterial infection and is spread through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Click here for more information.

Infection is most severe in infants who may develop serious complications requiring hospitalization. Pertussis starts with typical cold symptoms including runny nose followed by a cough illness. The classical or "whooping cough" form of pertussis may be readily recognized and is characterized by severe coughing spells followed by a "whoop" sound or vomiting; however, a majority of cases in immunized persons, older children, and adults may be characterized by a coughing illness without the classic features.

Physicians and patients need to have a high index of suspicion for pertussis when any cold or cough illness develops in a person exposed to known a pertussis case.

To date, the bulk of pertussis infections reported (31) this year has been from Inglewood Junior High School in the Lake Washington School District, although cases have been reported across King County. Recently, 5 cases have been confirmed in the Issaquah School District, prompting SKCDPH's Communicable Disease staff to alert the district and families in that community.

The vaccination against pertussis is included in the DtaP/DTP vaccine. Children less than 7 years of age should get 5 doses of this vaccine at ages 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months, and at age 4-6 years. Even when vaccinated, there is still at least a 10-20 % chance of infection if exposed. Vaccination is not permitted for persons over age 7 years. Immunity from pertussis vaccine fades over time.

"All young children ought to get fully vaccinated against pertussis and all other vaccine preventable illnesses," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director, Seattle-King County Department of Public Health

The Public Health Department has focused on identifying cases and contacts early so that illness in infants can be prevented. Only 1 case out of the total of 77 reported cases has been a child less than 1 year of age indicating the success of public health disease control measures.

The infections have occurred in a variety of school districts as well as a variety of age groups since January 1, 1999.

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