Cases of whooping cough are increasing in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 4,864 cases of whooping cough have been reported this year. This is almost three times higher than the 1,746 cases reported during the same period last year.
The number of cases for 2024 is similar to those observed in 2018-2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
National trends mirror those seen in many U.S. states. The Oregon Health Authority said Thursday that 178 cases had been reported as of May 29, an increase of 770% from the 20 cases reported during the same period in 2023, according to local ABC News affiliate KATU.
Additionally, local reports indicate that schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Minnetonka, Minnesota, are experiencing whooping cough outbreaks.
A pediatrician examines a coughing girl in this undated photo.
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Dr. Felicia Scaggs Huang, assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases and medical director of infection prevention and control at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said cases of whooping cough are increasing in globally, but that the number of cases in 2024 is similar to those before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While these numbers are up significantly from last year, these numbers are more similar to what we saw before the COVID-19 pandemic and, historically, we see an increase in cases every three to five years,” she told ABC. News.
Whooping cough, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
These bacteria attach to cilia – the tiny hair-like structures found on the surface of cells – of the upper respiratory system and release toxins. The toxins damage cilia and swell the upper airways, according to the CDC.
Whooping cough is spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing. Infected people can be contagious for weeks without knowing they have whooping cough.
The first symptoms often resemble a cold (runny nose, cough, and mild fever) and usually last one to two weeks. Symptoms, however, can progress to rapid, violent coughing fits that can last up to 12 weeks.
Infants under one year old, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are most at risk, but according to Dr. Syra Madad, infectious disease epidemiologist and chief biopreparedness officer at New York City Health and Hospitals, “the truth is that everyone is at risk.
Babies who get whooping cough may have a cold-like illness, have difficulty breathing or experience apnea, which are life-threatening pauses in breathing, the CDC said.
Scaggs Huang said some people can fracture their ribs from bouts of coughing or pneumonia.
“Older adults or infants younger than 6 months may have more complications, such as pneumonia and low oxygen levels that require hospitalization,” she said.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, and early treatment can reduce the severity of the infection. Most whooping cough symptoms can be managed at home, according to the CDC.
A whooping cough vaccine was introduced in the late 1940s and the number of cases each year has since fallen dramatically, falling by more than 90% compared to the pre-vaccine era.
A conceptual biomedical illustration of the Bordetella pertussis bacteria is seen in an undated photo.
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Before the vaccine, there were about 200,000 cases per year among children and up to 9,000 children died from them, according to the CDC.
There are two types of vaccines used today to protect against whooping cough: the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine for babies and children under 7 years of age and the tetanus, diphtheria vaccine and pertussis (Tdap) for children 7 years and older and adults. and pregnant women.
“People often think ‘Well, once you’re vaccinated you have lifelong immunity,’ and that’s actually not the case. You definitely need those booster doses,” said Madad.
Scraggs Huang said people should apply lessons learned from COVID-19 to other infectious diseases.
“I think a lot of the lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic apply to many other respiratory infections,” Scraggs Huang said. “If you see someone who is sick, ask them to keep your distance, especially if you have a young infant or an elderly or immunocompromised person in your home. If you are sick, stay home and, if you ever are traveling or if you are in an area where there are a lot of cases of whooping cough, you can wear a mask in public on a plane or in the hospital.
Michelle March, MD, MPH, MEd is a general pediatrics fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
Youri Benadjaoud of ABC News contributed to this report.
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