Bigfork school district responds to Pertussis outbreak
As of Friday afternoon there were four confirmed cases of Pertussis, more commonly known as “whooping cough,” in the Bigfork School District and antibiotics were recommended to students who came in contact with the infected.
Since last week’s first case of the illness broke out, the district is following Flathead County Health Department’s guidelines to minimize spread.
“We were told by the county that we have been proactive in minimizing the spread,” Bigfork School District Superintendent Cynthia Clary said.
After last week’s first confirmed case in the Bigfork Schools, the school pulled out all of the students’ immunization records and the county contacted the parents to let them know their child was in contact with the illness and they recommend placing him or her on antibiotics for five days. Clary said it is up to the parents whether or not their child receives antibiotics.
“We followed the county’s guidance, maintenance came in and did deep cleaning on the things people don’t think about like handles on doors and handles on sanitizer machines,” Clary said. “We have a very intensive deep cleaning process that includes busses and every seat.”
The first symptoms of pertussis usually appear within five to 21 days after a person is infected. It begins like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever and coughing. Then after one to two weeks the coughing gets worse.
In young children the coughing fits are often followed by a whooping sound as they try to catch their breath. The pertussis bacterium lives in the nose, throat, and mouth and spreads through the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks and a nearby person inhales the bacteria.
A doctor may diagnose a patient with pertussis based on their symptoms, but to confirm the diagnosis a doctor needs to take a sample from the patient by using a swab on the back of the nose. However, laboratory tests may be negative even if a patient has pertussis.
Antibiotic treatment can help prevent the spread of the illness, even if the person has already been vaccinated.
Pertussis vaccinations are given along with diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in the same shot, called DTaP. DTaP is given to children under the age of seven, but older than six weeks.
Immunization against pertussis helps to create a cocoon effect by surrounding those who are too young or unable to receive vaccine for medical reasons with others who are vaccinated. This ultimately decreases the spread of disease and protects those who are vulnerable.
Death from pertussis is rare; approximately 10-20 deaths each year in the United States are from pertussis. It can be dangerous for infants and can cause failure to breath, pneumonia, and swelling of the brain, which can lead to seizures and brain damage.
Most pertussis related hospitalizations and deaths occur from infants under three months old. Any infant with coughing symptoms should see a doctor. Vaccination is recommended at ages two, four, six, and 15-18 months with an additional shot at four to six years old for a total of five doses.
However, pertussis vaccination is recommended for some older children and adults because the vaccines wear off. A new vaccine, called Tdap, has been developed against pertussis for these age groups.
For more information about pertussis, visit the Center for Disease Control’s website www.cdc.gov/vac cines/vdpvac/pertussis/default.htm or call your family health provider or the Flathead City-County Health Department at 751-8110 and ask for the nurse on call.