Dear Marblehead Pediatric Patients,
As many of you know, the Marblehead Public Health Department has sent an advisory to families of the high school students about whooping cough. As of May 25, the CDC has confirmed 4,864 whooping cough cases this year among U.S. residents. This tally is up nearly threefold from the 1,746 cases reported in 2023 from this time last year and is present in the local community.
Whooping cough is a respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.. Whooping cough bacteria attach to the cilia (tiny, hair-like extensions) that line part of the upper respiratory system. The bacteria release toxins (poisons), which damage the cilia and cause airways to swell.
it usually takes 5-10 days for symptoms to appear after exposure to the bacteria, and sometimes symptoms don't develop for as long as three weeks. Early symptoms of whooping cough appear similar to a common cold, according to the CDC, and can last for one to two weeks. These symptoms include: runny nose, fevers, and cough.
One to two weeks after the first symptoms start, people may develop paroxysms, or coughing fits, that usually last one to six weeks but can last up to 10 weeks. These coughing fits generally get worse and become more common as the illness continues, according to the CDC. Eventually, whooping cough can cause serious and sometimes deadly complications, especially in babies and young children. Additional information can be found at the CDC website here.
Our office’s recommendations are to make sure you have scheduled your regular well visit appointments and are up to date with your immunizations. If you have concerns that you may have whooping cough, then please call us to schedule an appointment. Most teens will have gotten their updated Tdap which includes pertussis coverage around age 11, and are considered up to date per CDC guidance until 10 years later, when they are due for a Tetanus booster. However, the pertussis component of the vaccine does not provide very consistent protection, and wanes significantly by 5 years later (though possibly by as little as 2-3 years later), which is why people who are around young infants are recommended to get an updated Tdap every 5 years. With present pertussis cases in the community, we have not yet received any recommendation to increase community coverage as of yet, but you can always consider getting an additional Tdap vaccination. As of the time of this message, we are currently out of stock of Tdap vaccines and advise contacting a local CVS for this added protection. We would especially recommend considering this if you have regular contact with infants under 4 months of age (eg, working in babysitting, daycare, routine contact with a relative).
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Addendum: We anticipate on receiving some additional 19+ year old Tdap vaccines next on 6/13/2024.