HEALTH ALERT NETWORK
HEALTH DISTRICT 1
PERTUSSIS ADVISORY FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
May 8, 2024

Since April 2024, Panhandle Health District has continued to see an increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases reported in Kootenai County residents. This includes multiple household clusters of illness. Many the cases are in children and teens under the age of 18.

There have been reports of vaccinated individuals becoming ill with pertussis. Vaccinated individuals can become ill, but their symptoms may not be as severe or last as long. Please consider testing for pertussis in patients with coughing illness.
For more information about the pertussis vaccine please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/dtap-tdap-td/public/index.html

Laboratory Testing
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. 

Due to the increase in cases seen in Kootenai county, it is recommended that healthcare facilities ensure they have adequate testing supplies.

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

Isolation
Isolate the patient if contagious. Pertussis is restrictable for daycare, healthcare, and school in accordance with IDAPA 16.02.10.

Prevention in the Household and Community
CDC supports providing antimicrobial PEP (postexposure prophylaxis) to:
• All household contacts of a pertussis case, even when household contacts are current with pertussis immunizations.
• People at high risk of developing severe pertussis, as well as people who will have close contact with others at high risk of developing severe pertussis. High-risk people are:
          o Infants and women in their third trimester of pregnancy.
          o All people with pre-existing health conditions that may be exacerbated by a    pertussis infection.
          o People who have close contact with people who are high-risk.
          o All people in high-risk settings that include infants under 12 months of age or women in the third trimester of pregnancy.

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 pertussis, 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
Both laboratory confirmed cases and clinically diagnosed cases are reportable. All healthcare facilities should report laboratory confirmed cases and clinically diagnosed cases to Panhandle Health District. The PHD reportable disease form can be found at: https://panhandlehealthdistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2018-Reportable-Disease-Fax-Report-Form-for-public-1.pdf

For additional information or case reporting contact Panhandle Health District’s Epidemiology Department at 208-415-5235.

Resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/treatment.html
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/diagnostic-testing/specimen-collection-diagnosis.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/dtap-tdap-td/public/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pep.html