Whooping Cough Epidemic in California May Be Record Breaking

An ongoing epidemic of pertussis, or whooping cough, in California has now claimed the lives of 9 infants and sickened at least 4017 children, according to state health officials. If the epidemic continues as expected, the number of reported cases this year could surpass the yearly spikes of the highly contagious disease that occurred during the 1950s.

All recent pertussis-related fatalities in California affected infants, most of whom were Hispanic and too young (ie, <3 months) to be fully immunized. These babies acquired illness because of an apparent lapse in herd immunity (although the latest data from the CDC indicate that California toddlers underwent vaccination in 2009 at rates* that were comparable to or higher than those for the rest of the country).

Currently the number of pertussis cases in California account for about one third of the reported number of US cases for this year.

The CDC recommendeds DTaP vaccination (under routine circumstances) at 2, 4, and 6 months, with boosters at 15-18 months (or as early as 12 months) and at 4-6 years of age.

DTaP = diptheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis.

* State rates for DPT vaccination were not provided, however.

Photo of symptomatic child with pertussis from pertussis.com.