Case of whooping cough discovered at University Park

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State’s University Health Services (UHS) has reported a confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough) at University Park.  Close contacts of the patient are being notified and offered preventive care. Whooping cough is a contagious disease involving the lungs and airways. While most cases occur in children, pertussis can occur at any age. Anyone who has had close contact with a person diagnosed with whooping cough should contact either UHS or their private health care provider for further instructions. (Close contact is defined as being within a three-foot radius of the infected individual for one hour or longer OR on multiple occasions during the infectious stage.)

Early symptoms of whooping cough are similar to the common cold. Symptoms become more serious after a week to 10 days and include a cough for greater than two weeks and include intense coughing spells that often result in vomiting, difficulty catching a breath following a coughing spell and, at times, loss of consciousness. Breathing problems, sleeping and eating disturbances can occur. Pneumonia, broken ribs and hospitalization are less common complications of pertussis.

In children, there is often a characteristic "whoop" sound when gasping for breath during a coughing spell. In adolescents and adults, this sound is often absent. The cough can last for several weeks to months. In fact, it has been nicknamed the "100-Day Cough" disease. Although the infection can be treated with antibiotics, rendering it non-infectious, there is little, if anything, that can be done to ease the cough.

Most individuals are immunized against pertussis as children. Adolescents and adults are at risk for contracting whooping cough because immunity wanes as we get older. An adult vaccine is available that combines tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) into one injection and is recommended for adults over the age of 18 years. Tdap can be given in place of a routine tetanus vaccine, even if it has been less than two years since a previous tetanus shot. There is also another vaccine available for adolescents under the age of 18. The vaccine is available at UHS by nurse appointment. Faculty and staff should contact their primary health care provider.

For additional information, please view one of the Web sites listed below.

http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?A=171&Q=230492&pp=12&n=1
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-tdap.pdf