FROM: Alice Penrose, MD, MPH, Medical Director
DATE: May 30, 2013
SUBJECT: Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Alert in Your School
A student in your school has been recently diagnosed with a case of pertussis. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that can be severe, particularly in young children. Pertussis can spread easily among susceptible household members and in group settings such as schools, childcare centers, workplaces, and sports teams. Adolescents and adults are also at risk for infection with the disease since vaccine protection decreases over time.
Main goals of disease prevention:
- To protect vulnerable infants and children who are too young to be immunized or who have not been given vaccine
- To break the chain of disease transmission in the community
- For people of all ages, call your health care provider if you have the following symptoms:
- Cough that comes in bursts (intermittent)
- Vomiting after coughing spells
- Cough lasting 7 days or more (with or without a “whoop”)
- Review the immunization status of all students and staff:
- Children under 18 months of age should have received 4 doses of pertussis vaccine (DTaP, DTP).
- Children in Michigan should receive a 5th dose of vaccine after the age of 4 years, prior to entering kindergarten.
- A pertussis containing vaccine (Tdap) is available for persons aged 7 years and older.
- No vaccine is 100% effective, and it is possible for fully immunized children to experience a modified form of pertussis.
