Whooping cough cases reported in Winneshiek County

decorahnews.com has learned that several cases of pertussis, also known as "whooping cough," have been reported among students at Decorah High School.

The Winneshiek County Public Health Office has issued information to the public because of the confirmed cases, hoping to educate the public about the disease, which is caused by bacteria.

Pertussis causes severe spells of coughing.  It can interfere with eating, drinking and breathing.

County Health Department spokesperson Nancy Sacquitne says, "The biggest thing we can recommend is that people make sure they are up to date on their pertussis vaccination. That includes adults who need to have a booster after the age of 18 with a vaccine called Tdap."

Here are the symptoms of pertussis, or whooping cough:
•    Starts as a cold with runny nose and irritating cough
•    Within 1-2 weeks, cough develops into coughing fits
•    Fits are a series of violent coughs during which you struggle to breathe
•    A gasping for air, often high pitched whooping sound follows
•    The fits usually are more frequent at night, and are followed by vomiting
•    You may appear well between the spells
•    Is spread through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes and then other persons breathe in the infected droplets
•    Without treatment, an infected person  can spread the disease from time you start coughing until 21 days after cough
•    After 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment, an infected person cannot spread the disease

This disease can be fatal to unimmunized children and persons who have difficulty fighting disease and may develop complications.

It is important to cover your cough, wash your hands, and be up to date on your immunization of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis).

If you have any questions, visit with your healthcare provider or call Winneshiek County Public Health at 563-382-4662.