Vaccinations for the Pertussis Whooping Cough Disease

Pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, is a highly contagious illness that can be prevented with vaccinations. Often adults are unwitting carriers of the disease, unknowingly spreading it to their family members. n the majority (80%) of pertussis cases in infants, a parent or other close family member was the disease carrier (Pertussis Videos). Many adults may be unaware they are carrying the pertussis bacteria, and may mistakenly believe they are immune because they had once received a vaccination.

However, the vaccination some adults have received in their youth wanes after as little as five to ten years, which is why it is critical for adults to update their vaccinations (Pertussis Videos). An adult pertussis vaccination is widely available, and all parents should consider receiving the vaccination to prevent the spread of this fatal disease. In spite of vaccination enhancements, incidences of pertussis have been rising. Recent outbreaks of pertussis have been linked to changes in the vaccine ingredients, leading to less effective protection (Geggel, 2015).

Ingredients were changed to reduce side effects associated with the immunization with the whole-cell vaccine but effectiveness was reduced by a significant amount (Geggel, 2015). Still, the current vaccination provides sufficient enough protection in most cases. There are also separate vaccines available for different age groups, allowing families to maximize their protection.

Typically, children from two months of age to six years receive the acellular, milder version, whereas all persons over the age of 11 and including pregnant women are eligible for the stronger cellular version of the vaccination, containing the entire pertussis organism (CDC, 2015). Vaccinations for tetanus and diphtheria are typically included in the same vaccination. The most vulnerable populations are infants under the age of three months, who are likely to die from the disease.

Pregnant women can receive a special type of the vaccine in order to minimize the chances of their baby contracting the disease. Typically the vaccination is given to pregnant women in their third trimester (Pertussis Outbreak Trends). Incidence rates are highest among infants, but there is another spike in incidence rates among adolescents aged 13-15 (Pertussis Outbreak Trends). There have been secondary outbreaks impacting different populations, likely due to the changing nature of the vaccinations and their differences among age cohorts (Geggel, 2015).

If a member of the family has been suspected of having the disease, antibiotics may be administered to some household members as a preventative measure (CDC, 2015). Symptoms include a characteristic sounding cough, but the initial symptoms closely resemble those of the common cold and thus some parents will be unaware that they or someone in their family actually has pertussis. Unlike the common cold, though, the symptoms of whooping cough may worsen over the following few weeks.

To further prevent the spread of pertussis and ensure infants and children will not contract the disease, it is important to practice sensible hygiene. Frequent hand washing can help, as can reducing exposure to airborne germs. Pertussis bacteria are primarily airborne, but can be transmitted through mucus, which is why frequent hand washing is critical. Any sign of the disease should be a warning to parents to protect their infants immediately to ensure that the baby is not exposed.

The use of "cocoon" type handling might help to minimize exposure when in public and the parents cannot be sure of who has or has not been vaccinated. If all members of the community take care to receive regular vaccinations.