In Fairfax County, Virginia, there is an increase in whooping cough cases just days before school starts.
Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through the air, the Fairfax County Health Department said. Whooping cough spreads more easily when people spend a lot of time together or share a common breathing space.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
At first, the illness may appear like a common cold and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, mild fever and mild cough, health officials said.
These symptoms can last one to two weeks before some people who contract whooping cough develop coughing fits that can last weeks to months, the health department said.
During these coughing fits, people may:
- make a high-pitched “whooping” sound when they inhale after a coughing fit
- Vomiting during or after coughing fits
- feel tired after the attack, but feel well between attacks
- have trouble sleeping at night
- Difficulty breathing
- Broken ribs due to excessive coughing
Babies may not cough at all but gasp for air or have pauses in breathing or life-threatening apnea. Apnea can cause the baby to turn blue, and about one in three babies under 1 year old who gets whooping cough require hospital treatment, officials said.
People with weakened immune systems or moderate to severe asthma also have a higher risk of developing severe whooping cough.
How can I protect myself and my family from whooping cough?
The health department said the best way to prevent whooping cough is vaccination.
Two types of vaccines protect against it: DTaP and Tdap. They also protect against diphtheria and tetanus.
Health authorities recommend the following:
- Children should receive five doses of DTaP, including at least one dose on or after their 4th birthday.
- Children ages 11 to 12 should receive a booster dose of Tdap before starting 7th grade.
- Adults should receive a booster dose of Tdap every 10 years and during each pregnancy.
