The Nazareth Area School District warned some parents Monday about a confirmed case of whooping cough, also called pertussis, in a student at Nazareth Area Intermediate School.
Whooping cough is very contagious and spreads from person to person, usually by coughing or sneezing or when sharing breathing space with someone who is infected, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bacterial infection can affect people of all ages but can be very serious, even deadly, for babies less than a year old, the CDC says.
The student at the intermediate school, which serves the districts fourth- through sixth-graders, is being treated for whooping cough, Nazareth Area Director of Pupil Services Pamela Vlasaty said in an email to parents.
The district urges parents whose children have not gotten a pertussis vaccination, generally known as Tdap or DTap, to do so. Children ages 10 to 18 and adults are recommended to get a booster dose.
“The vaccine usually protects against whooping cough, but older children, teenagers and adults who were completely immunized before they started kindergarten can get whooping cough, because protection from the vaccine wears off over time,” Vlasaty wrote. “The Tdap vaccine is widely available at doctors’ offices, some pharmacies and local health departments, and is generally covered by most insurance plans.”
Antibiotics can prevent the spread of whooping cough and are recommended for those who become infected and for those who have had close contact with someone who is infected, Vlasaty said. Prophylactic antibiotics are recommended for people with a high risk of becoming very sick from pertussis or who could infect someone with a high risk, such as babies younger than 1 year, pregnant women in their third trimester and people who work with babies or pregnant women.
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Symptoms of pertussis usually begin about 10 days after infection but may start as early as six days or as long as 20 days after infection, the Pennsylvania Department of Health says. The earliest symptoms are like those of the common cold: runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and mild cough. Coughing then gradually becomes more severe, often leading to fits — also called paroxysms — of numerous, rapid coughs.
At the end of the coughing fit, a long attempt to breathe may be followed by a “whoop” sound. Babies younger than 6 months may not have the strength to make a whoop sound.
Click here for a clip of what whooping cough can sound like in a child.
Vomiting can also occur at the end of a coughing episode. Children and young infants, especially, look very ill when in this stage of pertussis. Coughing fits are usually more common at night and can last for many weeks, even after antibiotic treatment. Although children and adults may experience milder symptoms, they still can spread pertussis.
The bacteria that causes whooping cough is called Bordetella pertussis. An infected person is most contagious early in the illness and can spread pertussis for up to three weeks after symptoms start if not treated with an antibiotic. Starting an antibiotic treatment can shorten the time a person is contagious to five days after the start of treatment.
The Nazareth Area School District urges intermediate school parents or their primary care providers with questions to call the school nurse at 484-292-1111, ext. 3008, or the Northampton County State Health Center at 610-250-1825.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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