In Missouri and Arkansas, whooping cough, often known as pertussis, is rising. Health officials from both jurisdictions shared their perspectives on preventing the illness.
In 2024, Missouri health officials reported 422 instances, a 744% increase. More than 200 instances of pertussis were recorded in Arkansas this year, at least five times as many as reported the previous year.
Nationwide, the number of cases of pertussis has also grown. In Arkansas, school-age children and teenagers have been the victims of the majority of recent occurrences. This year, at least one case has been documented in more than thirty counties.
Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium that causes whooping cough, or pertussis. This disease affects the airways and lungs. Early symptoms include a little cough, runny nose, and perhaps a fever, much like the common cold. People may experience coughing spells for up to 10 weeks after the first two weeks.
By coughing or sneezing while in close proximity to other people, patients who have pertussis can transmit the germs. They can spread it to people who might be more susceptible to serious sickness, including babies under a year old. In the US, approximately one in three infants who get pertussis will require hospitalization. If they become infected, people of all ages who already have health issues, such as asthma or compromised immune systems, are also at a higher risk of developing a serious illness.
According to Dr. Vasudha Kota, a pediatrician at Mercy, whooping cough is not the same as the typical cold.
“Unlike with any other virus, usually viral infections tend to get better by the end of the first week. On the contrary, with whooping cough, the symptoms get worse and worse each week,” Dr. Kota said.
In 2024, the Arkansas Department of Health is reported at least five times higher than last year.
“We get notifications of cases almost every day or at least every week,” Dr. Naveen Patil with the Arkansas Department of Health said.
Getting vaccinated is the greatest method to protect others and yourself from pertussis. Discuss vaccinations with your healthcare practitioner. Consult your healthcare practitioner about receiving preventive therapy if you have come into contact with someone who has pertussis. Consult your doctor if you have pertussis symptoms because the correct antibiotic can treat whooping cough.
