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Subscribe to RSSThe U.S. is on course for a record year for whooping cough, health officials said this week. And while vaccinating kids is clearly the most important defense, health experts say adults may not realize they’re supposed to be getting regular shots, too.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection best known for causing a deep cough in children. They cough so long and so hard that when they can finally catch a breath, they make a distinctive “whoop” sound on the intake. So far this year, the United States has seen more than 16,000 validated cases of whooping cough, said Stacey Martin, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That’s more than the 15,216 cases reported last year. The latest peak was 27,550 cases in 2010, when it killed 27 people, 25 of them babies.
“We are on track to have a record year, I think,” Martin said in a telephone interview.
Pertussis has reached epidemic levels in the state of Washington, with more than 2,700 cases so far this year, and CDC is following outbreaks in 18 other states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Idaho, Montana, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, Florida, Arizona, Maine, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Oregon.
"This time last year we had about 200 cases, which was a lot," said Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington state department of health. "So to have 2,700 this time is just the most we have seen in my lifetime."
The problem is caused by a number of factors. Babies less than two months old are too young to get the vaccine, so they are especially vulnerable. And the formulation of the vaccine was changed in the 1990s to make it safer, but that also made it a little less effective, Martin said.
“We went to safer vaccine with fewer side effects but the duration of protection is not as good,” she said. Church adds that in Washington state, many parents have opted not to have their children vaccinated -- another factor that could affect the epidemic, although he said there is not data to demonstrate just how badly.
The good news is that 95 percent of U.S. children are vaccinated, Martin says. The bad news is that only 10 percent of adults are.
Children need five doses by age 6 to be fully protected and even then they may need a booster in their teens. Every adult should get at least one dose of the combined tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine, CDC says in its latest guidelines. The Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends the shot once every 10 years.
"That’s been our big push in Washington state -- to help adults understand they need to get vaccinated too," Church said.
This is extra-confusing because there are several vaccines on the market, some of which contain just tetanus and diphtheria and some that also protect against pertussis, said Dr. Kathryn Edwards, who directs the Vaccine Research Program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and who is a board member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
To protect the youngest babies, pregnant women should be vaccinated in the later stages of pregnancy, the CDC says. “I think it is hard to vaccinate pregnant women, because pregnant women have this feeling that they aren’t supposed to put anything in their body,” Edwards says. While this is understandable, studies have shown it’s very safe and the mothers-to-be pass on their immunity to their newborns, she said. This is the same for flu, too.
Even health experts often don’t realize the need for adults to be vaccinated. Edwards and colleagues surveyed 1,800 health care workers in 2007, and only 13 percent planned to get a whooping cough shot, with most saying they were unaware they even needed one. Half the time, when babies get whooping cough, a parent is the source, Edwards said. And whooping cough can make adults very sick, as well.
“Adults get whooping cough, and they cough and cough,” Edwards said. The cough can persist for weeks, but doctors and patients alike often don’t even think to check for pertussis. “Certainly, whenever adults need their booster for tetanus and diphtheria, they should include pertussis,” Edwards advised.
It’s not just whooping cough that adults need to be vaccinated against.
The CDC just released updated its adult vaccination recommendations to say adults should think about getting vaccines to prevent a range of diseases: chickenpox; measles, mumps and rubella (German measles); influenza (every single year); hepatitis A and B; and meningitis. Younger adults also need vaccinations against HPV or human papillomavirus, which causes cervical, penis and head and neck cancers (after about age 26 it’s too late), while adults older than 60 need a dose of vaccine against shingles and also should get a shot that protects against a batch of bacterial infections called pneumococcal diseases every five years.
More on Vitals:
- Big jump seen in Oregon parents delaying vaccines
- Calif. cuts whooping cough deaths to zero
- Extra whooping cough booster might protect more kids
Washington State, California, Oregon and Vermont are all experiencing similar outbreaks. NBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman reports.
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I'm actually allergic to the vaccine - maybe not the new one, but I'd rather not risk it - so I'm not vaccinated. Although I wish I were.
Does anyone have any info on where or how I can track the whooping cough spread in Pennsylvania? If it gets too close, I'll be scheduling some vacation.
Whooping cough is all around. It's been around. Many cases are milder or are misdiagnosed as bronchitis.
Exactly. Back in 2010 drs. when they knew a patient has the vaccine, did not test for it (happened to 5 people I know) they diagnosed it as an upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. so the numbers were actually very much higher. so to say that it is increasing is not true. Drs. are just now testing for it more and more in the vaccinated which is making the numbers increase making it appear that it will be a record year.
You should be able to find information about reported cases on the PA's Department of Health website.
Last year, people did not have vastly different diagnosing procedures than this year.
I had severe pertussis from late 2010 to 2011, and had been vaccinated. I lived in a college dorm at the time when I contracted it. Every doctor I went to would take one look at my records, see the vaccination, and then not test me for pertussis. I was diagnosed with sinus infections, common cold, asthma (I was a long distance runner, and never had a breathing issue in my life!), and finally told they didn't know what was wrong with me and was just given heavy narcotic cough suppressant. That still didn't work, and I was hospitalized for days. Finally they tested me for pertussis, and it came back positive. That is when the doctors told me that the vaccine wears off after a few years. It went on for so long that even though I am better now, I can't run for more then 10 minutes without going into a coughing fit, even after going to pulmonologists. The point I want to make is that the doctors will not test adults for it if you have been vaccinated, and it is a horrible disease to get. I do wonder if it would have been better had I not gotten the vaccine, especially since a good friend of mine who was around me a lot when this happened has never been vaccinated and didn't get sick.
Aurora,
I was a paramedic for ten years and am nearly done with my masters in public health. When my doc suggested pertussis, I was the one who said no way cause of the vaccine. That night when it kicked in REALLY bad, I realized that it was pertussis because I had seen it before. He tested for it the next morning (I was still blue!) and sent me to the hospital. But, yes, that is a problem, and there is an issue about when the vaccines take/don't take, wear off, ect. Four months later, I still couldn't climb a flight of stairs without getting short of breath. I am now back to working out, but still wake up coughing at night. I can jog, but not at the pace I once did. Hang in there.
No, it isn't always neglect on the part of adults. Yes, if you don't get your vaccine, it is neglectful. However, the vaccine isn't always effective. I had my vaccine because I knew it was on the increase and still came down with pertussis last winter. Despite the vaccine not working on me, I would encourage EVERYONE to get vaccinated because of how horrible the disease was. Oh, and my doctor and I have agreed that we will test my levels of immunity this fall and if necessary, give me another vaccination. I told him that there is NO WAY I am going to go through another three months of my life coughing for twenty minutes at a time until I throw up (and sometimes develop nosebleeds from the force). This went on for three months. Get your shots folks. And did I mention that I had secondary pneumonia and bronchitis as well? Secondary respiratory conditions are very common....again, shots.
Well as far as breast feeding goes, it might not help the baby from getting the disease, but it sure helps build up their immunities; they have absolutely NOTHING when they are born! Same as a cancer patient who has received a lot of chemotherapy--their entire immune system is likely to shut down. If help is available to prevent potentially fatal diseases, why not get a shot? Sure, it might be risky in case you have an unknown allergy, but so is crossing the street and driving your car! I work in the health care field, specifically with infectious diseases, and I have been vaccinated against practically everything known to man, and I have NEVER caught anything that I was vaccinated against! Furthermore, I am still alive; and the last time I checked, all my brain cells were working correctly! If you don't want to get the shot for whatever reason, think of your fellow man who risks contracting YOUR disease just by standing in line next to you at the grocery store or at your place of worship. Do you want to live with that guilt when that person gets deathly ill???
You have to take everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt. Your doctor should be the one checking and double checking that you have had all the vaccinations you need; it isn't up to the average Joe to try to figure out the course of action. If your doc isn't keeping you up to date on the latest and greatest preventative measures out there, then find a new one! Amen.
That's not necessarily true.
Robert, are you going to sit here and monitor every.single.response so you can shoot them all down? Are you on the payroll to do that somewhere?
"Not necessarily true" does not mean it's false... correct? Can you agree on that? On anything??
YRUNuts Great responses. Keep it up.
No one has brought up the rate of infection in the illegal immigrants. They do number in the millions. I have been told by medical personnel that the rate of TB is high within their enclaves because of the crowded living conditions.
Gran-
If that were the reason behind this outbreak, then the people getting sick would not be upper middle class children.
Sometimes people who live in poor conditions have built up better immunities than those who live in their pristeen, lily white facade mansions. And Robert, before you rear up your legs to attack, please note that I said sometimes...
Also, it is a known fact that kids who attend traditional schools build up better immunities than those who are home schooled and don't get out much. That is the same concept of a vaccine...in order to build up an immunity, you have to be exposed to the toxin (or illness or dipwad, or what have you).
YRUNuts - I completely agree. But add to that the idea that it's the upper middle class that seems to have the biggest panic button. They are more likely to have time and access to the materials that say crazy things like "vaccines cause AUTISM" (despite the ONLY "study" that showed a link was exposed as bunk nearly two decades ago).
And we can also blame the media for that too.
If you don't believe in vaccinations, than stay away from everyone!
Why? Don't your vaccines work? I'm not sick. Not vaccinating doesn't equal a sick person or perpetual pathogenic germ spewing person.
so tired of everyone thinking the unvaccinated are disease vectors. we actually do have a thing called natural immunity, and not false immuntiy by a needle. also, compared to the vaccinated, the unvaccinated are more healthy, suffer less from most diseases and also suffer less illness in general. so to constantly say, keep your kid away from my kid or stay away from everyone, that is just your own fear in that your vaccines do not work. otherwise you would not care either way. its your own fear that is perpetuating that unvaccinated are someone riddled with every single disease there is a vaccine for. That is just not true and almost hilarious actually.
It's the details they forget. Their little minds are trained to jump to prefabricated conclusions. It's zombie like I tell you. They don't even know they're just looking for brains.
Grannie - Thank you for bring up the fact that disease that haven't been seen in this country for years are on the rise due to our problem with illegals. Another reason why our borders need to be enforced.
Where do you think this is coming from? Sure some people don't want to give their children vaccines but the main reason for this is the SOUTHERN BORDER...We have an epidemic of Tuberculosis, Whooping Cough, Hepatitis, and tons more folks.. The Mexican people don't get vaccinated as we do, at birth. They come here ridden with many illnesses and your right, they head right into the school system where anyone that has not been vaccinated are reaching out and getting it.. But also some get it because their shots did not help them. But we were clear of this crap until the Politicians decided it was more important to get a vote than take care of our very own...Sounds familiar huh? I have a friend that works in the prison system and she said you would be shocked to see how many inmates are infected with so many diseases.. UH do ya want to know how many illegals are in the prisons?
Whooping Cough? The CDC is worried about Whooping cough? Have they decided to stop going after the real killers and become vaccine peddlers? How about tackling the Common Cold which has been known to kill more people due to complications from secondary infections.
K. I tested pos for Pertussis in Oct. last yr. 50 y.o. female. Healthy? well, thought I was... Received the combined TDaP vaccine in 2006. Didn't die (obviously) but I can understand how this disease can kill. I coughed so hard and for so long that I completely lost bladder control. YES! It's that bad. Missed more work than I ever have before. I work in a county courthouse, thereby unwittingly exposing countless members of the community. My drs initial dx was bronchitis, so I was working for weeks before I was tested, quarantined and given the correct antibiotic. Close proximity contacts had to be given a prophylactic round of antibiotics AND be vaccinated. 100 day cough is a very accurate description, tho I still have an occasional cough that just won't go away.
You can thank the anti-vaccine morons for most of this.
EVidence? No just ad hominem attacks. A hallmark of the mass vaccine ideology.
Ah, one of the morons speaks out.
How about this. Look at this case and mortality report since the 1950's. Why don't you gather your vaccine uptake data and correspond it to the rise and falling patterns of Pertussis since the then. Surely you'll be able to implicate the unvaccinated won't you?
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/G/cases&deaths.pdf
Explain why high vaccine uptake leads to increased cases won't you?
Also don't forget to include the change to the new pertussis vaccine which doesn't work in many and then wanes after 3 years in others. Wouldn't be scientific if you didn't account for those variables now would it?
who's the moron again?
Ummm, you.
It isn't an increase in vaccination that has lead to any of the outbreaks. It is LACK of vaccinations and adults letting their vaccinations wane.
Scientific Citation please.
That's just evidence of the vaccine failing. Not exactly a confidence booster in terms of herd immunity.
Oh, get an education on your own time.
Google is your friend.
I went and got a tetanus shot, as it had been more than 10 years, and I really don't like the idea of lockjaw. It had the whooping cough vaccine also.
Why don't more adults get it? Maybe because it's about $60, even at the county health department, and is not covered by insurance. (I'm still paying it off.)
I'm glad you decided to fork out the $60 to get the shot. That money is a drop in the bucket compared to what you would pay to fulfill your deductible and your out of pocket expenses if and when you ended up in the hospital because you didn't get the shot. Many years ago my doc gave me a plain old tetanus shot and then several months later I was helping someone tear apart an old deck and I stepped on the rustiest nail you've ever seen...went in the bottom of my foot and came out through the top. Painful experience, but I didn't have to worry about tetanus because I had gotten that shot
Here in Washington State, we are making it a law that the Department of Health must notify the public in the event of an epidemic in their area. It took them months to tell us, even after we lost a child, Kaliah Jeffery, to it last August. We had to scream to make them say something, now they act like it was all their idea!~ We, the family of Kaliah, initiated the Public Service announcements and the public health warning that was sent out to all residents in our county. Please visit
Robert, I'm not picking on you specifically, but several people have asked you what your qualifications are that you have so much to say. So much false information is going around and around and I'm afraid it is confusing a lot of people who are less knowledgeable than you. As a matter of fact, when we are dealing with a subject that can indeed be a matter of life and death, I would like to know people's qualifications so that I know who to listen to in the future and who to ignore. I don't think that's asking too much, do you?
If you don't want to say what your qualifications are, then say so; don't just ignore the question like you are holier than Thou. Common courtesy goes a long way; it would also earn you a lot more respect.
We have an epidemic here in Washington State, where my nieces baby Kaliah died last August. We have been pushing to state to say epidemic for months and they would not.We had to initiate the Public Service Announcements now being aired and the public health warning notices that went out to our county. We have started legislation requiring the Department of Health to notify the public in the event of an epidemic in their area as there is no such requirement now and as we have seen here, they do not want to spend the money to tell us, only doctors, which is a waste, since it is the doctors that tell them.
Our epidemic started the first week of January and they wouldn't say anything until April, which we forced them to do after it became the worst epidemic in 40 years. Now we have unheard of cases and it is spreading all over the place. The fact that the childhood vaccine wears off in 5 years was not made public, only shared with doctors, so most adults still believe they are protected. Please read our blog for more information:
http://
kennethaskorner.weebly.com/kennethas-korner-updates.html
A typical doctor doesn't really know much about vaccines and most likely hasn't read any published, peer-reviewed, scientific studies that contradict what he/she is saying, or what is recommended by the CDC or AAP.
Smallpox was not eradicated by the vaccine but you would have to go to other sources than Wiki or CDC (although the CDC had been a really good source until one point) and read the original sources.
Drink your fluoridated water and rGBH milk (or any milk in general - you can even drink your dog's milk or your horse's - cows aren't a human species either and look how important their milk is, don't worry about how many animals get killed and harmed in the process or what the milk really contains, they won't show it on the news); eat your meat from the hormones-injected/GMO-grain-fed/mistreated/brutally slaughtered animals, it's good for you and cheaper than vegetables; don't forget the waxed, irradiated, pesticide/herbicide/fungicide/E-coli laden fruits and veggies, GMO or not; have a little HFCS here and there (or everywhere, who's counting); buy your kids those yummy looking, artificially colored/flavored sweets, they like them so much and yes, do go by the pyramid, it really is to your benefit.
Don't worry about the alternatives and pop all the pills your doctor gives to your family, start supplementing your child with food at as early as 4 months, get all their recommended vaxes (who cares how many, I believe Mr. Offit had stated they can have any number - they are all proved safe and effective, even in the combos given, have very little or no side effects, your child is definitely protected and his/hers immune system won't be harmed by any means). Just don't bother asking questions - your ordinary pediatrician won't know the answers. Give your child Tylenol before and after ( who wants a crying baby?) and don't worry about formula feeding right from the start, it is equally great and just easier (not knocking moms who couldn't bf!) because it's not natural to feed your child in public even when covered up and - quote from our other pediatrician "you need vitamins prescribed for your baby if you're ebf, even while on a very healthy diet and healthy in general - I have to inform you that breast milk doesn't provide all needed vitamins/nutrients like formula does". Formula is superior. Got it. And thank goodness for such an educated pediatrician.
Also, don't forget to slather up your family in the conventional shampoos/shower gels/bubble baths/lotions etc. Who cares what the ingredients really mean? FDA has deemed them safe so they have to be. Right?
Proven herd immunity from vaccines? Yep! Babies start their vax schedule at 6 months? Of course! Living healthy and breastfeeding does not prevent any of those diseases. Sure!
The almost-got-tetanus-from-stepping-on-a-rusty-nail-while-fixing-a-deck story? Cuts and bleeding wounds are generally not a risk (unless you fall in the high-risk group - older people, diabetics, etc.). Rusty nail isn't more of a threat of contracting tetanus than a non-rusty one. But that’s OK, a lot of people think they can get tetanus just from playing in the dirt, even without wounds. Some studies show contracting tetanus in recently vaxed individuals and despite of very high levels of antibodies. Other studies show natural protection in some people who have never been vaxed for it. Go figure.
Do you want to protect your baby from pertussis? Don't get the vaccine yourself. You may be asymptomatic and spread it to your newborn without even realizing you're sick. When adults start getting vaxed for it in large numbers and the cyclical outbreaks still continue, who is next to blame? Uhm, birds you better fly real fast 'cause you may be next.
True, just because you are vaccinated doesn't mean you won't get the disease; but that is like playing Russian Roulette--will you be lucky or not?
When you go to the hospital ER with any kind of wound (from a rusty nail or not) they AUTOMATICALLY give you a tetanus shot. This is a normal practice that has been going on for years and should not be avoided (even tho it's probably one of the most painful shots I have ever received.) The skin is the largest defense organ in your body; a break in it can cause all kinds of problems; "holes" just don't belong there and you can never know when a skanky "bug" is going to find it's way inside. Some people are magnets for that sort of thing. If something ain't broke, don't fix it.
Frankly, I am not up on statistics of the sort you are looking for. However, because of the fact that Tetanus shots are given (usually) only every 10 years, but at least over 5, many people who are under stress from an injury that is so bad they have to go to the ER, in most cases probably don't remember when they had one last..."gee, was it the flu shot, pneumonia shot, or tetanus shot that I got last year, or all 3??" And, I stand corrected: If you can positively tell them that you HAVE had a T. shot in the last 5 years, then they will NOT automatically give you one.
And in all honesty, when I got hurt with the old nail in the old wood from the old deck, I was probably more in danger of problems from the old wood that used to be treated with cyanide (or was it arsenic? some sort of poison, but I am sure you can tell me which one).
And since this post is going to lead into a discussion of flu shots, I will say this: no, they are not for everyone, but I gotta say, ever since I've been getting them (mandatory in my line of work) I have never gotten more than a cold. In any event, I would much rather contract the flu, pneumonia, or whooping cough than lock jaw.
July 20th marks the first day of Kaliah's short but powerful life! She was only here for 27 days and we want to make each day count! We begin our 27 days for Kaliah on July 20th and go until August 16th, the day she left us. Each day in the drive, our goal is to get at least 100 signatures on Kaliah's bill to show public support, and send at least 10 comments to legislators in your local area. No matter what state! We Will post links at the top of each of our 50 pages to list the phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses to the legislators in that state with a sample of what we want to say. Please choose your state and vote and send as many messages as possible between those dates to let them know we want to know if there is an epidemic in our community, and we want them to share the fact that the Whooping Cough vaccines wear off in around 5 years with all citizens, so everyone knows they need to be vaccinated every 5 years in order to end Whooping Cough in our country. We need more volunteers to put just a couple hours a week, posting local outbreak information on each states page, please let me know if you can help us out!
Contact your local legislator to tell them you want Kaliah's Law in your state! Each State will have a link to their own legislators pinned to the top during this period.
Here is a link to the Change.org petition, please sign and share, then click the link below for your legislators info and send messages everyday, as many times a day as you wish! Watch as we change this world for the better in Kaliah's name! 27 Days for Kaliah! Let's go!
Here is the link for Washington State, please share with as many people as you can to show support for this law.
Here is what we want to say: Please support legislation to make the Department of Health tell the public when there is an epidemic in their area. Right now there is no requirement for us to be told and we want to be told as soon as the epidemic threshold has been reached!
We are asking for Kaliah's Bill. Just send a notice to all households in the area of the epidemic, as soon as the predefined epidemic threshold is reached, it is as simple as that.
The other thing we are trying to tell them is this:
There is no natural immunity to Whooping Cough!
Our research has led us to what we feel it the root cause of these epidemics.
It is the 92% of unvaccinated adults in the nation that think they are vaccinated that are spreading this.
We need to be telling everyone that the shot they were told they could only have one of per lifetime, actually only lasts a few years!
We should also them the Tdap, the booster they are getting now, will also last only a few years, and someone will give them an actual length after they get more data.
If you don't want to have Whooping Cough epidemics, most of the 92% of unvaccinated adults would have to get vaccinated so they quit spreading it around. Do you know how many people that is?
It is around 225,000,000! Yes, that is around 225 million. Most babies that die get it from their parent or a family member. It is horrible for babies, kids and adults, causing cracked ribs and broken blood vessels and life long lung problems.
If it comes back with a vengeance, you will understand why the vaccine was invented in the first place. My aunt died from it, my niece Chelsey Charles' baby Kaliah died from it, how many more do we need to give? They used to quarantine whole households for weeks at a time before the vaccine was invented.
I am not trying to tell people that do not believe in vaccination that they have to vaccinate. It is their choice. I would research every drug, and decide on an individual basis if they were right for me or my family. Do not blindly believe anyone! There is a lot of false information and finger pointing on both sides of this issue. Listen to people you trust, preferably ones that have some credentials in the medical community. I do not want to get into that debate here at all. Research it and choose for yourself. I looked at all of the data. In fact my initial premise was to blame the anti vaccine people. I learned that is not the issue here at all.
I am saying it is the 225 million unvaccinated adults causing these epidemics, and, if we want to be protected from epidemics like this one, most of us would have to be vaccinated against Whooping Cough or Pertussis every 5 years or so.
Check out 27 Days for Kaliah beginning Sunday July 20th and running until the day of her death August 20th! Kaliah's law and spreading this message.
For more info see our blog at
Kaliah’s Story | Shot by Shot
shotbyshot.org