The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has issued a health alert warning the public about an increase in pertussis cases in the state. As of July 10, 80 cases have been reported so far this year, up from 49 for all of 2024. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported.
Also known as whooping cough, pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughs that make it hard to breathe. It most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies under 1 year old.
Most (76%) of this year's cases have occurred in children less than 18 years of age, including seven cases in infants less than 2 months old. Of the 73 cases that were age-eligible for pertussis vaccination, 28 were not vaccinated. Among those unvaccinated, 23 were less than 18 years old. Of the 10 hospitalized, seven were children less than 2 years old. While cases have been reported statewide, 40% were identified in Northeast Mississippi.
Vaccination, one of the safest and most effective ways to protect against pertussis, is recommended for everyone. There are two types of combination vaccines that include protection against pertussis, as well as diphtheria and tetanus: DTaP and Tdap. DTaP is recommended for younger children, while Tdap is recommended for older children, pregnant women and adults.
Infants should receive DTaP vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months followed by two booster doses at 15 to 18 months and at 4 to 6 years. Pre-teens should receive Tdap at 11 to 12 years to boost their immunity. Pregnant women should receive a single dose of Tdap in the 27th – 36th week of pregnancy to help protect their newborns from pertussis during their first few months of life.
Also, grandparents and other extended family/friends who may come in close contact with the infant should get booster shots to ensure they don't unknowingly pass the disease on to the child. Although there is no routine recommendation for pertussis boosters, immunity wanes over time.
Pertussis is transmitted person-to-person through respiratory droplets or contact with airborne droplets. Patients are considered infectious from the onset of symptoms until three weeks after the start of high-pitched coughing fits, or until completing five days of antibiotics.
Recommended treatment includes antibiotics within three weeks of cough onset in people 1 year of age and older, and within six weeks of cough onset in infants younger than 1 year old and pregnant women.
MSDH offers vaccinations to children and uninsured adults at county health departments. To make an appointment, visit https://msdh.ms.gov/pertussis or call (855) 767-0170. If you're not sure about your child's vaccination history, you can find their records by creating an account with the MyIR service, checking with your pediatrician or contacting the MSDH Immunization Office at (601) 576‑7751.
Download the new MSDH Healthy App for free in Apple and Android stores.
Get up to date news and updates at: www.msdh.ms.gov. and on social media: facebook.com/HealthyMS, twitter.com/msdh and Instagram.com/healthy.ms\
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