People who are not immune to the bacterium through vaccination or previous infection can get pertussis at any age. Infants and children not vaccinated or partially vaccinated are at higher risk of infection as well as those with severe disease or a weakened immune system.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases noted a steady increase in the number of cases reported since May and a sharp increase from July.
How is it spread?
Pertussis is spread from person to person through respiratory excretions when an infected person coughs or sneezes and a vulnerable individual inhales the bacteria. It is highly transmissible during the early stages when most cases are not yet recognised.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms may vary from person to person. The onset is gradual and may be mild or severe. Symptoms usually appear seven to 10 days after exposure. However, onset can range from five to 21 days.
Initial signs and symptoms are similar to a common cold and may include nasal congestion, runny nose, mild sore throat, mild dry cough and minimal or no fever. Days later, the cough worsens and is characterised by episodes of paroxysms, followed by a whooping sound or vomiting after coughing. In infants, the cough may be insignificant or not present at all, but infants may stop breathing and have a bluish skin.
Vaccinated adolescents and adults can have mild symptoms such as a sore throat or persistent cough.
How is it diagnosed?
Pertussis can be diagnosed by a medical practitioner through laboratory testing by collecting a specimen from the back of the patient’s throat (through the nose) or by coughing into a bottle to collect sputum.
How is pertussis treated?
Antibiotics have been shown to be effective in reducing the infectious period.
How to prevent it
Pertussis can be prevented by immunisation with pertussis-containing vaccines. In South Africa, the expanded programme on immunisation schedule includes four doses of acellular pertussis vaccine. The primary series is given in three doses at six, 10 and 14 weeks in combination with other immunisations. The fourth dose (booster) is given at 18 months. To protect those too young to be vaccinated, it is important that family and close contacts of pregnant women or infants have routine immunisations up to date.
“Containment measures are in place at health facilities as part of standard infection control to limit the risk of infection, including isolating cases, wearing masks and antibiotic prophylaxis to contacts,” said the department.
“While we have several prevention measures in place, we call on caregivers to be vigilant of the signs and symptoms. Should they pick up any of the symptoms in their children, they should take them to the nearest health facility immediately.”
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Seven baby fatalities in 2022 as whooping cough cases escalate in Western Cape
Image: 123RF/shibu7213
Seven babies under the age of two months have died this year in the Western Cape after contracting whooping cough, as health authorities note a marked increase in cases nationally.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
Infants are particularly at risk of severe disease as they are too young to be immunised — the first pertussis immunisation dose is usually administered at six weeks.
“Through our surveillance system, the Western Cape department of health has picked up a marked increase in pertussis cases,” the department said.
“Since January, cases have been increasing throughout the country (408), particularly in the Western Cape where we have had 230 cases, most of them since September. These are laboratory-confirmed cases and probably represent only a small fraction of the true cases in the community.
“Seven infants, all under the age of two months, have died from pertussis in the Western Cape in 2022.”
Rise in whooping cough cases, mostly affecting Western Cape children
People who are not immune to the bacterium through vaccination or previous infection can get pertussis at any age. Infants and children not vaccinated or partially vaccinated are at higher risk of infection as well as those with severe disease or a weakened immune system.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases noted a steady increase in the number of cases reported since May and a sharp increase from July.
How is it spread?
Pertussis is spread from person to person through respiratory excretions when an infected person coughs or sneezes and a vulnerable individual inhales the bacteria. It is highly transmissible during the early stages when most cases are not yet recognised.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms may vary from person to person. The onset is gradual and may be mild or severe. Symptoms usually appear seven to 10 days after exposure. However, onset can range from five to 21 days.
Initial signs and symptoms are similar to a common cold and may include nasal congestion, runny nose, mild sore throat, mild dry cough and minimal or no fever. Days later, the cough worsens and is characterised by episodes of paroxysms, followed by a whooping sound or vomiting after coughing. In infants, the cough may be insignificant or not present at all, but infants may stop breathing and have a bluish skin.
Vaccinated adolescents and adults can have mild symptoms such as a sore throat or persistent cough.
How is it diagnosed?
Pertussis can be diagnosed by a medical practitioner through laboratory testing by collecting a specimen from the back of the patient’s throat (through the nose) or by coughing into a bottle to collect sputum.
How is pertussis treated?
Antibiotics have been shown to be effective in reducing the infectious period.
How to prevent it
Pertussis can be prevented by immunisation with pertussis-containing vaccines. In South Africa, the expanded programme on immunisation schedule includes four doses of acellular pertussis vaccine. The primary series is given in three doses at six, 10 and 14 weeks in combination with other immunisations. The fourth dose (booster) is given at 18 months. To protect those too young to be vaccinated, it is important that family and close contacts of pregnant women or infants have routine immunisations up to date.
“Containment measures are in place at health facilities as part of standard infection control to limit the risk of infection, including isolating cases, wearing masks and antibiotic prophylaxis to contacts,” said the department.
“While we have several prevention measures in place, we call on caregivers to be vigilant of the signs and symptoms. Should they pick up any of the symptoms in their children, they should take them to the nearest health facility immediately.”
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