Maranatha Student Among Latest With Pertussis

Posted on December 20, 2010

A 10-year-old at Maranatha Christian School student who was up to date on immunizations is among the latest to contract pertussis, as San Diego County passed 1,000 reported cases of the highly contagious disease. Maranatha is located just off Camino del Norte between 4S Ranch and Del Sur.

With high numbers of pertussis – or whooping cough – cases still being reported, the county may triple the region’s previous record by year’s end, the County’s Health and Human Services Agency reported last week.

Confirmed whooping cough cases in the region now has reached a total of 1,046. By comparison, the last record year for whooping cough was 2005 with 371 cases. Last year, the region reported 143 confirmed cases of pertussis.

“Vaccinations continue to be the best protection against pertussis,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “However, since immunity wanes over time, it is extremely important for children and especially those around infants, to get a booster shot.”

Parents can get the vaccine from their primary care physician. Residents who do not have health care coverage may visit a HHSA Public Health Center.

The CDC recommends that children get one dose of DTaP vaccine at the following ages: 2 months; 4 months; 6 months; 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years.

The CDC also recommends that children receive a booster shot of Tdap vaccine at 10-11 yrs. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends an adolescent-adult pertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for everyone 10 years or older who has not yet received it, especially women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy; and other people, including household contacts, caregivers, and health care workers, who have contact with pregnant women or infants. Children 7-9 years of age who did not receive all of their routine childhood shots are recommended to receive a Tdap booster dose.

A typical case of pertussis in children and adults starts with a cough and runny nose for one-to-two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever, if present, is usually mild. The disease is treatable with antibiotics.

For more information about whooping cough, please call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit the web site at www.sdiz.org.

New Cases of Whooping Cough

Last week’s new pertussis cases where there is a potential for public exposure are:

A 6-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends Sunnyside Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
A 6-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and and attends La Jolla Elementary School in the San Diego Unified School District.
A 4-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends Sevick School in the El Cajon Valley Union School District.
An 18-year-old who was due for a booster shot and attends Morse High School in the San Diego Unified School District.
A 14-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Santa Fe Christian School in Solana Beach.
An 8-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Wolf Canyon Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
A 10-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Marantha Christian School in Poway.
A 3-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Tsumiki Preschool in San Diego.
A 13-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends The Children’s School in La Jolla.
A 9-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Feaster Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
An 11-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends Roosevelt Middle School in the San Diego Unified School District.
An 8-year-old who was not up-to-date on immunizations and attends Zamorano Elementary School in the San Diego Unified School District.