Pertussis cases up in Williamson County

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a serious health threat, especially for children who are too young to have received the vaccine or those who are under-vaccinated.

Williamson County continues to see a steady increase in pertussis cases, including five children that were hospitalized with the illness. Pertussis can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages and after a cough has persisted for more than two weeks. Below is a description of the illness:

• Begins like a cold, with a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and cough that slowly gets worse.
• After one to two weeks, the cough gets worse and usually starts to occur in strong "coughing fits." In young children, coughing fits are often followed by a whooping sound as they try to catch their breath.
• The cough is often worse at night, and cough medicines usually do not help reduce the cough. After coughing, a person may have difficulty catching their breath, vomit, or become blue in the face from lack of air.
• Between coughing spells, the person often appears to be well. Some babies may only have apnea (failure to breathe) and can die from this.

People who are diagnosed with pertussis should stay at home for at least five days while taking antibiotics. Vaccines are available at the Williamson County and Cities Health District and are usually no more than $20.