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Though public schools in Fayette County won’t start back until Aug. 16, the health department reports whooping cough is already spreading in Lexington.
Kevin Hall, spokesman for the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, told the Herald-Leader Thursday the agency has detected a handful of cases.
This highly contagious disease, marked by the symptomatic hacking cough seen in adults and adolescents, is particularly dangerous for babies and pregnant women. Here’s what to know about whooping cough in Kentucky.
Susan Dunlap, executive director of public affairs for the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services, said Monday the state is seeing an uptick in cases.
“Although whooping cough (pertusiss) waxes and wanes over time, there currently appears to be an increase in the number of pertusiss cases in Kentucky, predominantly in unvaccinated persons,” Dunlap wrote. “To increase awareness, the Kentucky Department for Public Health recently sent a health alert to clinicians to raise awareness so children and adults with pertussis are promptly diagnosed and receive timely treatment for the illness to prevent serious complications. Additionally, routine childhood vaccinations greatly reduce the risk of serious illness caused by pertussis and all parents are urged to check with their pediatrician to ensure their children are up to date.”
What is whooping cough?
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that is bacterial in nature. It gets its name from the characteristic hacking cough symptomatic of the disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Before the advent of a vaccine, it was considered a childhood disease. Now, it’s associated more often with children who are too young to have completed the full course of vaccinations required for protection and adults whose immunity has waned.
Though deaths are rare, according to the Mayo Clinic, they most commonly occur in infants, which is why it’s important for pregnant women and those who take care of young children to be vaccinated.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
Apart from its characteristic “whooping” cough, symptoms resemble a cold and include a runny nose, nasal congestion, red and watery eyes and fever. These initial symptoms appear between seven to 10 days after infection, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The more severe symptoms, like vomiting, extreme fatigue and difficulty breathing, appear after a week or two.
Even though pertussis is associated with a violent cough, many people never develop it, according to the Mayo Clinic. A persistent cough is only a sign an adolescent or adult has pertussis. Babies may not cough at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe or temporarily stop breathing all together.