Whooping Cough Cases Nearing 900

NBC San Diego ^ | Friday, Jul 18, 2014 | Andie Adams

[nickcarraway]

If the rate stays on track, 2014 could break 2010's record high of 1,179 cases

San Diego County has seen more than double the number of pertussis cases this year compared to last, according to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA).

Nine new instances of whooping cough, which may have left others exposed, brings the county’s total to 895.

Just 120 cases were reported by this time last year, and for the whole of 2013, 431 cases were confirmed.

“The county and state are experiencing an epidemic of pertussis,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., a county public health officer.

She said infants are at the greatest risk for severe illness or death from the disease.

According to the HHSA, the new cases were reported at the following locations, and all but two patients were up-to-date on their immunizations:

A 7-year-old at Mason Elementary School

An 8-year-old at Dailard Elementary School

A 9-year-old who was not up-to-date with immunizations at Indian Hills Camp in Jamul A 10-year-old at Normal Heights Elementary School

An 11-year-old who was not up-to-date with immunizations at Lincoln Acres School

A 14-year-old at Hillsdale Middle School

A 15-year-old at San Ysidro High School

A 16-year-old at Altus Charter School of San Diego and El Cajon Learning Center A person at Boys and Girls Clubs of Oceanside

Pertussis begins with a cough and runny nose that progresses after one or two weeks to rapid coughing fits with the characteristic whooping sound.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children get the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine at 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 months old, 15 to 18 months old and 4 to 6 years old.

Students entering seventh grade are required to show proof they got the Tdap booster shot, and experts say all pregnant women should get the booster in their third trimester.

[Liz]

Great post---thanks for the links.

WE AINT SEEN NUTTIN' YET

Observing the "migrants" riding atop speeding freight trains 1700 miles---one can only conjecture on their hygiene. How did they handle body wastes? No running water or flush toilets atop that train.

==============================================

Americans need to know about possible infections from migrants shopping in retail stores, eating in their restaurants, shopping in supermakets...... handling food and merchandise.

The deadly E-coli is passed through unclean hands from improper bathroom habits. E- coli has been found on the handles of supermarket carts.

Not to mention contamination on school buses, school facilities, school supplies, books......and public buses that transported them....and so on. Mexican restaurants, fast food hamburger joints, supermarkets, retail stores, etc.....

The e-coli contamination could get fierce.

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl!

[arkfreepdom]

No shot is 100%. The effectiveness is dependent on enough people being immune that the disease cannot spread.

[redgolum]

You are right, but that isn’t what happened here.

There were 12 kids out with it in a small school. All were vaccinated. The county health board blamed it on a few kids who did NOT have the vaccine, and who did NOT show any symptoms or diagnoses of whooping cough (Mennonite families). Neither did anyone the non vaccinated kids came in contact with. Typical vaccine effectiveness is around 90%. In this grade school, it was about 50% (half of the class caught it).

They didn’t just say it once, they had public health announcements on the local news about it.

We also had a measles outbreak that followed the same course. Blamed on the non vaccinated kids, who had no symptoms, which got a group of vaccinated kids sick.

Funny thing is a lot of local parents have dropped vaccinations because of it. If I pay for my kid to get their shots, and he gets sick, while the Mennonite kid who didn’t get shots is ok, why am I giving my kid shots?

I am not totally anti vaccine, but I have a growing suspicion that they are not nearly as effective as advertised, and come with some potential of bad side effects.

[arkfreepdom]

They are effective but not perfect. I’ve only seen one case of tetanus. In a IV drug abuser who didn’t keep up his shops. Tetanus is virtually unheard of.

[redgolum]

I have seen more than that, but coming from a farming background, where people get exposed to things a lot more frequently that most, it isn’t as surprising.

Both cases were older men who may not have had a booster in a while.

But the cases I was talking about were measles and whooping cough in grade school children who HAD all their shots.

[cycjec]

parents over professionals, any time

[cycjec]

Maladies Sans Frontieres,

[cycjec]

don’t eat out. peroxide one’s produce. wash hands every time
you eat, come home etc. what else?

[exit82]

Ain’t diversity grand? /s

[Liz]

Wash hands whenever you come in from a public place——that’s mandatory.

Keep a sanitizer in your car and wipe off your steering wheel and door handles, as well.

Make sure you buy nothing produced in Mexico-—some markets now post their produce’s place of origin.

Ask if they don’t post it.