Three cases of whooping cough treated

Three children have been diagnosed with whooping cough in Southern Nevada, and health officials urge parents to get vaccinated and ensure their children are vaccinated.

Whooping cough cases have been on the rise in Nevada since 1999, health officials say.

"Because of the outbreak up north, there's a concern these might just be the tip of the iceberg,'' said Brian Labus, senior epidemiologist for the Southern Nevada Health District referring to the three children diagnosed within the past week by health care providers.

The Nevada State Health Division reports 25 cases of the contagious respiratory infection among adults and children in Northern Nevada in recent weeks.

Though Labus wouldn't say in which areas of Southern Nevada the three children lived, citing federal confidentiality laws, he said the Health District is investigating the source of the infections. The investigation includes interviewing anyone the children might have had contact with.

"Part of the problem is that when adults get the disease, the symptoms aren't serious enough for them to seek medical attention. We may not know if there are more cases,'' he said. "It is the young kids who tend to get the more serious illness.''

So far it doesn't appear the children have spread the disease to anyone else, Labus said.

Known medically as pertussis, whooping cough is considered an extremely contagious bacterial disease that is transmitted through the air by infected people.

The incubation period is seven to 14 days.

Initial symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, lack of energy and loss of appetite. Some might have a mild fever and moisture in the eyes.

As the disease progresses, the infected individual develops a severe cough.

"The larger concern is this bacteria getting to an unprotected infant,'' said Doug Banghart, the state's immunization program manager. "The symptoms are more severe in infants, and this population tends to experience higher hospitalization rates.''

Banghart said the recommendation is for infants to receive the pertussis vaccine at ages 2 months, 4 months and 6 months as part of a three dose series. The pertussis vaccine usually wears off after five years.

Under state law, children are to be immunized against whooping cough prior to attending school.

Banghart anticipates that by October the state's Board of Health would require middle school children to have a booster vaccine. Already, federal and state health agencies recommend the new booster vaccine, DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis), for 11- and 12-year-olds.

Older children and adults are urged to get the vaccine approved for individuals between ages 10 and 64.

Last year, 71 whooping cough cases were identified in Nevada; in 2005, there were 50. In Southern Nevada, 27 whooping cough cases were identified in 2006 and 30 in 2005.

Twelve of the current Northern Nevada whooping cough cases are in Elko, six are in White Pine County and seven in Washoe County.

For more information about whooping cough or vaccines, call the Health District's office of epidemiology at 759-1300 or the state's Health Division at (775) 684-5900.