SECOND INFANT DIES FROM WHOOPING COUGH

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Seventy-Five Percent of Pertussis Cases are Children 18 Years of Age and Younger

October 22, 2010 (San Diego) -- A  six-week-old infant, born prematurely, died last week after being diagnosed with pertussis at Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego, according to County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) officials today. This is the second death of an infant from whooping cough in San Diego County.

“Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family of this child,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Infants are particularly susceptible to complications from pertussis because they are too young to get immunized.”
There have been 721 confirmed cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, reported in 2010. There were 143 cases in all of 2009 and the previous high for the county was 371 cases in 2005.
 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get one dose of DTaP vaccine at the following ages: 2 months; 4 months; 6 months; 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years.
 

The CDC also recommends that children receive a booster shot of Tdap vaccine at 10-11 yrs. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends an adolescent-adult pertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for everyone 10 years or older who has not yet received it, especially women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy; and other people, including household contacts, caregivers, and health care workers, who have contact with pregnant women or infants.
 

Children 7-9 years of age who did not receive all of their routine childhood shots are recommended to receive a Tdap booster dose.
 

A typical case of pertussis in children and adults starts with a cough and runny nose for one-to-two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever, if present, is usually mild. The disease is treatable with antibiotics.
 

For more information about whooping cough, please call the HHSA Immunization Branch toll-free at (866) 358-2966, or visit the web site at www.sdiz.org.
 

This week’s new pertussis cases where there is a potential for public exposure are:
 

• A 3-year-old who was unimmunized and attends Kensington Preschool in San Diego. Contact: Connie Cleland (619) 280-1610.
• A 4-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Sanderling Waldorf School in Encinitas. Contact: John Marckx (760) 613-9963.
• A 4-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Chai Altman Preschool in Poway. Contact: Rebecca Webb (858) 451-0455 ext. 13.
• A 7-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Oneonta Elementary School in th South Bay Union School District. Contact: Russell Coronado (619) 628-1660.
• A 7-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Lakeview Elementary School in the Lakeside Union School District. Contact: Lisa DeRosier (619) 390-2606.
• An 8-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Toler Elementary School in the San Diego Unified School District. Contact: Linda Zintz (619) 725-5568.
• An 8-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Stone Ranch Elementary School in the Poway Unified School District. Contact: Sharon Raffer (858) 521-2707.
• A 9-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Harborside Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. Contact: Anthony Millican (619) 425-9600 ext. 1328.
• A 10-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends City Tree Christian School in San Diego. Contact: Sue Kennedy (619) 232-3795.
• A 13-year-old who due for a booster shot and attends Valley Middle School in the Carlsbad Unified School District. Contact John Roach (760) 331-5002.
• A 14-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Meadowbrook Middle School in the Poway Unified School District. Contact: Sharon Raffer (858) 521-2707.
• A 14-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends University City High School in the San Diego Unified School District. Contact: Linda Zintz (619) 725-5568.
• A 16-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends the Mar Vista High School Special Education Progam in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Contact: Lillian Lepold (619) 691-5578.

 


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