CDC reports 10 fold increase in PA whooping cough cases

Whooping cough surge in the U.S.: CDC reports waning vaccine protection and highest number of cases in Pennsylvania

Updated: 10:22 AM EDT Oct 1, 2024

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is experiencing a significant resurgence in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that vaccine protection is waning. This year, around 14,000 cases have been reported nationwide. Pennsylvania has been particularly hard-hit, recording 2,008 cases this year alone. That figure is ten times higher than the same period last year and represents the highest number of cases in any single state or territory, according to the CDC.What is whooping cough?WGAL’s Jere Gish interviewed Penn State Health Children’s Hospital Pediatrician Dr. Banku Jareth about the surge in whooping cough cases. Here’s a transcript of the interview.Gish: I’m joined now by Doctor Banku Jareth, a pediatrician at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. Jerry, thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it.Jareth: It’s a pleasure being here. Thank you. Gish: So give us an idea. First, we’ll start with a general question. What is whooping cough? Jareth: So, whooping cough, also called as pertussis, was also called a hundred-day cough, is caused by a bacteria called bordetella pertussis. It is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can initially look very much similar to common cold. The first two weeks are just common cold with cough, congestion, some runny nose and no fevers or mild fever. And it can be very easily confused with, just flu, or a common cold.it is the second phase which is, the paroxysmal phase that is the give way for whooping cough, where patients then start presenting with worsening of the cough, followed by coughing fits, and cough that is ending with a whoop, which is a very high-pitched noise that you hear at the, at inhalation, and when the patient is trying to breathe deeply in after a coughing fit.So yes, and it is, it is not a common cold cough. It can have a very serious complications, especially in infants, and, people or, elderly with some chronic issues, health issues as well. Gish: So, I mentioned in the intro to this that we’ve seen increases across the country and we’ve seen significant increases here in Pennsylvania. So, what are we seeing? What are you seeing here, Penn State Health? What are we seeing here in the Susquehanna Valley? Jareth: So, fortunately, we have not in the, especially in our clinic, we have not seen, any cases of the whooping cough yet. But there have been a large increase in cases in other counties. And definitely in Pennsylvania, we are leading the nation with, over 2,000 cases of whooping cough this year. Gish: So, what can parents do to try to prevent it? Is there any way to do that? Jareth: Yeah. Vaccine is the best answer to that – getting, you know, your kids vaccinated. If you’re a grandparent taking care of, you know, your grandkids, getting yourself vaccinated. But boosters is, is the best answer. And also taking precautions. The reason why we we’re not seeing those many cases during the COVID pandemic was because we were very rigorously following measures to prevent a, you know, spread of respiratory viral infections, primarily COVID with social distancing, hand hygiene and all that stuff. And I think that is what was keeping the other bacteria and respiratory viruses at bay as well.Gish: And you mentioned there right away, about the vaccine and great way to help prevent it, hopefully. When should people get vaccinated for whooping cough?Jareth: So, for babies, the vaccination series stops at six weeks. So, from six weeks to four-to-six years of age, they need to get five doses of the Tdap vaccine. And then at 11, you get your first booster with the Tdap. And then every ten years you get a booster, with the Tdap. For pregnant ladies as well, we do recommend, getting them vaccinated anywhere in their third trimester between 27 to 36 weeks. That also provides some passive immunity to the baby, who cannot be vaccinated until they are six weeks of age. Gish: All right, Dr. Banku, Jareth, joining us today. Thank you so much. We appreciate all the information. Jareth: Thank you so much.