KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR
Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary
For Immediate Release
Contact: Don Brown
Increase in Pertussis Cases Seen in Sedgwick County
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Wichita-Sedgwick County Department of Community Health are investigating an increase in the number of reported cases of pertussis, also called whooping cough, in Sedgwick County. KDHE's Office of Epidemiologic Services is aware of 11 confirmed cases since June, and other suspected cases are under review. Normally only a few cases of pertussis are reported in Sedgwick county every year.
All of the Sedgwick County pertussis confirmed cases were reported among children less than three years old, and some of them had not been properly immunized against the disease. Standard childhood immunization schedules call for a DPT immunization at two, four and six months of age, with a booster after the age of one year (Pertussis is the "P" in DPT). Parents are encouraged to check the immunization records of their children and contact their pediatrician or health professional if their immunization schedule is incomplete.
Although pertussis is more often diagnosed among young children, the disease is common also among adults. "Because of the increase in reported cases in Sedgwick County, we strongly encourage anyone with an unexplained cough lasting longer than two weeks to seek medical attention," said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, State Epidemiologist at KDHE. "Other warning signs are coughing that leads to vomiting and a whooping sound after a coughing spell."
The most effective way to prevent pertussis is to properly immunize all infants and children and to promptly identify and treat those who are infected. If someone in the same household is infected, family members should see a doctor as a precaution. The infection is spread through contact with nose and throat discharges from infected individuals. Transmission of the disease can be reduced by good hand washing habits, wearing a mask around untreated pertussis patients, and not touching items that might be contaminated with nose and throat secretions.
In some pertussis cases complications can develop, including seizures, pneumonia, brain infections and death. These severe outcomes can usually be avoided by early diagnosis and treatment. Proper immunization remains the first line of defense.
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