Simple cough can lead to more severe problems

What may seem to be a simple cold foe an adult may be lethal to an infant. Whooping cough, or pertussis, has become a major issue in Snohomish County over the past year.

“As of Oct. 27 there have been 129 confirmed cases of pertussis,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer and director of the Snohomish Health District.

This is a drastic difference from the 25 reported cases in 2010. Goldbaum believes that more people in the community are aware of the illness and health care providers are more likely to test for the infection.

Pertussis is not deadly for adults because their immune system has had time to build up a tolerance, but it is extremely serious for infants 1 year old and younger.

Roughly half of infants who get pertussis land in the hospital, according to Dr. Po Tu, a physician at The Everett Clinic.

Pertussis can lead to serious brain damage and even death in infants when a nonstop cough prevents them from eating, drinking and sometimes breathing.

This year alone one infant died from pertussis in Snohomish County, Tu said. Adults contract the disease and then pass it on to infants who are too young to be vaccinated. At two months infants receive their first dose of the vaccine, but it doesn’t start to protect their system until the second or third dose.

Pertussis exhibits the same symptoms as a seasonal cold, including sneezing, runny noise and a cough.

If the symptoms don’t go away within one to two weeks, get checked by a doctor, said Dr. Joe Skariah, a physician with Swedish Edmonds.

“This is a very serious problem and the best way to stop it is to prevent it,” Skariah said.

Protection from the vaccine lasts only five to 10 years after the last dose. So adults should get a booster shot, especially if they will be around an infant, he said.

Pertussis is contagious. It is spread through the air when an infected person coughs. This is why if you are sick, especially with an upper respiratory illness, Goldbaum urges people to stay home.