Whooping Cough On The Rise In W.Va.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, starts off much like the common cold, with a mild cough and sometimes a low grade fever. But the bacterial respiratory disease spreads easily – and without medical intervention, the symptoms linger for weeks and can get much worse.

Since the beginning of the year, West Virginia has seen a 15-year jump in reported cases, according to the Bureau for Public Health. 

One reason health care providers point to is that many patients don’t keep up with the 10-year booster vaccines they need.

“We think that the main reason for the increase in cases is due to waning immunity in the community, meaning that individuals aren’t getting vaccinated as much as they used to, or not keeping up with the vaccines under 10 years,” said Parkersburg-based Dr. Kane Maiers with UPMC-Go Health Urgent Care.  

The drop in booster shots also explains why fewer infants but more teens and adults are contracting the disease. 

Maiers said even though the symptoms start off mild, they can last for weeks and can be life-threatening.

“The cough may start to worsen, and it really gets into these severe fits. And this is where it gets the name whooping cough, where the folks will just cough until they’re almost out of breath, and then they suck in the air, and it makes this characteristic whoop sound,” he said. “You can develop secondary pneumonias from it and lower respiratory infections. The vulnerable populations like the elderly and infants are probably the most at-risk for developing severe complications, and any individuals who are unvaccinated would be at increased risk of developing severe complications.”

Patients who contract whooping cough are contagious for the first 21 days of symptoms or until five days of antibiotic therapy treatment have been completed.