HEALTH ALERT NETWORK
HEALTH DISTRICT 1
PERTUSSIS ADVISORY FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Panhandle District Health (PHD) Urges Health Care Providers to Consider Pertussis in Patients with Cough Illness
April 19, 2024

Pertussis Update
During the month of April 2024, 2 confirmed cases of pertussis have been reported among Kootenai County residents with an additional 14 residents in contact with those becoming ill.

Please consider testing for pertussis in patients with cough illness.

Laboratory Testing
• Culture can be completed during the first 2 weeks following cough onset; sensitivity decreases, and the risk of false negatives increases after 2 weeks.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of a nasopharyngeal swab is optimal for testing within the first 4 weeks after cough onset. 
• Serology should not be used unless the patient has been coughing longer than 3 weeks.

Testing recommendations can be found at: 
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/diagnostic-testing/specimen-collection-diagnosis.html

Prevention in the Household and Community
To stop the spread of disease, antibiotic treatment is recommended for the infected person and antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for all household contacts.  Azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin are all effective choices for both prophylaxis and treatment. Clinicians can also use Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxasole. Treatment information can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/treatment.html

Immunization continues to be an important part of the control for whooping cough, especially for families with infants.  Immunization recommendations and schedules can be found on CDC's website at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/index.html

Additional Information and Reporting
For additional information or case reporting contact Panhandle Health Epidemiology Dept at 208-415-5235. To schedule an appointment at PHD, please contact the PHD Clinic Services at 208-415-5270.