Pertussis case at Marcellus High School

A case of pertussis, or whooping cough, has been confirmed in Marcellus High School. The Onondaga County Health Department is closely monitoring the situation with us, and a letter from Assistant Superintendent Patricia A. McCarron is being sent home today (Jan. 7, 2013) with all students in Grades K through 6. Parents of students in Grades 7 through 12, meanwhile, are being notified by School Messenger to visit the district website for an important health report.

Most children have already been immunized against pertussis. Prior immunization does decrease the risk of getting the disease; however, immunization does not guarantee that your child will not develop pertussis.

This is a good time to review your child’s immunization status with your physician. Ideally, your children have received five pertussis vaccines (DTaP) by age 5 and one (Tdap) at age 11.

Parents who suspect their child has been in direct contact with someone with pertussis should contact their family physician. Antibiotics may prevent them from becoming ill or may lessen the severity of the disease. If your child is already sick, giving antibiotics early can help your child get well faster and lower the chances of spreading the disease to others.

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air by cough. Pertussis can begin with cold symptoms, low grade fever and a cough, which becomes much worse over 1 to 2 weeks. Symptoms usually include a long series of coughs (“coughing fits”) followed by a whooping noise. However, older children, adults and very young infants may not develop the whoop. People with pertussis may have a series of coughs followed by vomiting, turning blue, or difficulty catching their breath. The cough is often worse at night and cough medicines usually do not help alleviate the cough.

Please consider the following New York State Department of Health Recommendations:

• Infants under 1 year of age—especially those under 6 months—are most likely to have severe symptoms if they develop pertussis. When possible, young infants should be kept away from people with a cough. Infants with any coughing illness should be seen promptly by their doctor.

• If your child comes down with cold symptoms that include a cough, talk with your child’s doctor. Tell the doctor that pertussis has been seen in your child’s schoolmates.

• If you have reason to suspect your child may have pertussis, please do not send them to school until you have discussed the matter with your private physician.

Further information about pertussis is through the links below. Additional questions and concerns should be directed to the Onondaga County Communicable Disease Nurse at 435-3236 or to your family physician.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Pertussis

CDC DTaP Vaccine Fact Sheet (pdf)

CDC Tdap Vaccine Fact Sheet (pdf)