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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Pertussis cases on rise in Idaho

State encouraging people to get vaccinated to stop spread of disease

BOISE – Idaho is urging anyone who is around infants to get vaccinated for pertussis, or whooping cough, after cases surged in the past six months.

Six babies have died in California from pertussis in recent months, and an Idaho infant died of the disease in 2009. Vaccination is the best prevention, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, but Idaho has one of the lowest immunization rates in the nation.

“We know that in many cases, it’s the mom, dad, grandparent, or sibling that infects the babies that end up getting so sick,” said Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist. “Vaccination of the rest of us remains the best way to protect the most vulnerable persons in our population, who are too young to be fully protected by their immunizations.”

Adults may not even know they have the disease, which is characterized by severe coughing spells that can cause shortness of breath and gagging, and also may be marked by a runny nose and low-grade fever. It’s far more severe for infants, and can lead to pneumonia, seizures, encephalitis and death.

Of the 77 cases reported so far in Idaho this year, 51 were in the five North Idaho Panhandle counties, including cases in Athol, Rathdrum, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene. Last year, Idaho had 99 cases, just eight of them in the Panhandle; Washington had 460 statewide and one death.

According to the 2008 national immunization survey, 77 percent of Idaho children are immunized against pertussis and 31.7 percent of teens; adult immunizations aren’t tracked. In Washington, 82.7 percent of kids are immunized, and 34.7 percent of teens; the national average is 84.6 percent for children and 40 percent for teens.

For overall child immunizations, Idaho ranks 50th in the nation at 57.6 percent, only Montana is worse; Washington was at 73.7 percent, and the national average is 77.2 percent.

Since 2005, a pertussis booster vaccine has been available for those age 11 and older; it’s combined with a tetanus booster, and is called the Tdap. That’s the recommended vaccination for those who are near infants during the current outbreak.

Pertussis vaccines are available at doctor’s offices. The booster is designed to bolster the effect of a childhood immunization, which fades over time.

Idaho Health and Welfare officials recommend keeping young infants away from people with cough illnesses.

Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics; left untreated, the disease is contagious for up to three weeks.