By: Annie Oeth, UMMC Communications
Rising cases of pertussis nationally and statewide serve as a reminder to parents to vaccinate their children against this and other highly contagious diseases, experts at the University of Mississippi Medical Center say.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a preventable respiratory illness that can be life-threatening to infants. Spread through coughing, sneezing and close contact, pertussis has early symptoms that resemble a common cold but can progress to severe coughing fits.
As of July 10, 80 pertussis cases had been reported to the Mississippi State Department of Health from all nine public health districts compared to 18 cases reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for roughly the same period in 2024 and 49 cases in the state for all of 2024.
The increase in cases prompted the Mississippi State Department of Health to issue a statewide health alert Monday.
Although no deaths from pertussis have been reported in Mississippi this year, doctors at UMMC and its pediatric arm, Children's of Mississippi, stress that the disease can be life-threatening.
"Pertussis can be especially dangerous for infants, who are most at risk of severe complications such as pneumonia, seizures or even death," said Dr. Mary Taylor, Suzan B. Thames Chair and professor of pediatrics at UMMC.
"Vaccinations are the best line of defense against whooping cough and other diseases," she said. "These diseases are preventable through vaccination, so we advise parents to ensure their children are up to date with their immunizations. "
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends immunizations as the safest and most cost-effective way of preventing disease, disability and death. Mississippi had a 97.4% immunization rate in the 2023-2024 school year, a drop from 98.9% in 2020-2021.
Dr. Roberto Santos, professor of pediatric infectious diseases, said the rising number of illnesses that can be prevented through immunizations is alarming.
"There were six times more cases of whooping cough in 2024 in the U.S. with peak incidence last November 2024, according to the CDC," he said. "The best way to prevent pertussis is through timely vaccinations, which not only provide personal protection but also offer community protection if vaccination rate is above 90%."
Vaccines are effective, but not 100% effective, the American Lung Association reports. "Vaccinated people who get whooping cough usually have more mild symptoms such as a cough that doesn't last as long and coughing fits that are less common and severe."
With decreasing vaccination rates, medical providers need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of pertussis, he said.
"We should not let our guard down since pertussis can be associated with severe pneumonia with pulmonary hypertension or severe coughing spells complicated with hernia, hypoxia or lack of oxygen and conjunctival hemorrhage."
According to the AAP, the duration of pertussis can be up to six to eight weeks. About a third of babies 12 months and younger who catch pertussis will require hospitalization.
Dr. Sue Phillips, a pediatric hospitalist at Children's of Mississippi, said it's important to visit a health care provider if exposed to pertussis.
"There are ways to test for pertussis and also ways to treat it," she said. "High-risk populations – infants, unimmunized, the elderly – especially need to be evaluated if there is concern and tested in the event that antibiotics are needed."
Since protection from pertussis vaccinations can wane over time, it is important for adults to update their immunizations, according to the CDC. The two types of pertussis vaccines, DTaP and Tdap, also protect against diphtheria and tetanus.
DTaP protects nearly all children within a year of their last shot and about 7 in 10 within five years of their last shot. Tdap protects against illness in about seven in 10 people in the first year after getting it and about three to four in 10 people four years after.
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 a single dose of Tdap at 11 to 12 years to boost their immunity. Pregnant women should receive a single dose of Tdap during each pregnancy in the 27th to 36th week of pregnancy to help protect their newborns from pertussis during their first few months of life. The CDC also recommends a single dose of Tdap for adults who have never received Tdap.
MSDH recommends that grandparents and others who may come in close contact with infants get booster shots to ensure they don't unknowingly pass pertussis to the child.
Vaccinations are available through primary care physicians, pharmacies, community health centers and county departments of health.
Parents who have questions about vaccinations should talk with their children's pediatrician or primary care provider, said Dr. Bryant McCrary, a pediatrician at Children's of Mississippi's Bridgewater pediatric clinic in Gulfport.
"Trust is at the heart of pediatric medicine," he said. "Immunizations are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect our children and our communities. The vaccines we recommend are grounded in rigorous science and decades of research. One has to believe that the American Academy of Pediatrics, dedicated to the well-being of all children and made up of devoted doctors and researchers, would never make recommendations that were not in the best interest of all children."
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