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May 15, 2003 Contact: Bonnie Widerburg (503) 731-4180 Oregon infant’s pertussis death a reminder to parents The death of an 11-week-old Oregon child due to pertussis, or whooping cough, is a sober reminder of why children should be immunized, according to public health officials in the state Department of Human Services (DHS). "Pertussis is common, and it causes a nagging cough that can last for weeks in adults," said Ann Thomas, M.D., public health physician in DHS. "This tragic death is a reminder that the whooping cough can be very severe and even kill infants."Vaccination against pertussis is recommended at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, with additional doses at 15 months and at school entry, Thomas said. "The vaccine won’t eradicate the bacterium, but it does prevent whooping cough," said Thomas. "That’s why we urge parents to be diligent about getting their children immunized on time." Pertussis can occur at any age, but most reported cases are in children under five and, of those, 50 percent are under one year old, according to Thomas. Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis and is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person. It begins as a mild infection with symptoms that resemble the common cold. Within two weeks, the cough becomes more severe with episodes of numerous coughs followed by a high-pitched whoop. A thick, clear mucous may be discharged. "During the last century, pertussis was a major cause of childhood death," said Thomas. "But widespread vaccination made a dramatic difference. In 1940, over 200,000 pertussis cases were reported nationally. Since 1980, that has dropped to 4,400 cases per year, a decrease of more than 98 percent. "Because of this success, people tend to think these old diseases were vanquished," Thomas said. "But they are still a threat, which is why childhood immunization is so important." Pertussis has increased recently in Oregon and in other parts of the country. Oregon averaged 70 cases per year during 1992-2001 but the count rose to 193 cases in 2002. To date this year, 100 cases have already been reported in the state. Additional information about pertussis can be found on the Web. |
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