Current Situation
Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) is investigating multiple pertussis cases recently diagnosed in Whatcom County. Healthcare clinicians and providers are asked to remain alert for pertussis, consider testing and treatment when appropriate, and promptly report suspected cases to WCHCS.
Reporting Suspected Cases
Report suspected or confirmed pertussis cases within 24 hours:
- Communicable Disease Report Line: 360-778-6150
- Confidential Fax: Submit the pertussis case report form to 360-778-6103
- Online: Submit a report through the secure online form
Recommendations
Consider pertussis in patients with:
- Respiratory illness in infants younger than 1 year, particularly when accompanied by difficulty feeding or apnea.
- Cough illness at any age, particularly when accompanied by:
- Paroxysmal coughing
- Gagging, post-tussive vomiting, or an inspiratory whoop
- Cough lasting 2 weeks or longer
- Respiratory illness of any duration in a person who has had direct contact with someone with pertussis or symptoms consistent with pertussis.
When a patient has respiratory symptoms and a known or suspected exposure, include pertussis in the differential diagnosis. The incubation period is typically 5–21 days.
Test and Treat
- Consider testing when pertussis is suspected. Collect a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab and submit it to a commercial laboratory.
- A negative pertussis PCR or culture does not rule out pertussis. Treatment and reporting may still be appropriate based on clinical assessment.
- See CDC’s best practices for using PCR to diagnose pertussis.
- Follow CDC’s pertussis treatment guidance.
Exclusion and Prevention
- Advise people with suspected pertussis to stay home from work, school, or childcare. Individuals are considered contagious until they have completed 5 full days of appropriate antibiotics.
- Report suspected or confirmed cases to WCHCS within 24 hours. WCHCS can assist with exclusion and post-exposure prophylaxis recommendations.
- Consider preventive antibiotics for household members who meet high-risk criteria.
Vaccination
- Ensure children and adults are up to date on recommended pertussis-containing vaccines. See CDC’s recommended immunization schedule.
- Prioritize vaccination for people who have direct contact with infants younger than 1 year.
- Pregnant people should receive 1 dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably during 27–36 weeks’ gestation.
More Resources
- Pertussis clinical features, CDC.
- Collecting a nasopharyngeal swab clinical specimen video, CDC.
- Pertussis treatment, CDC.
- Best practices for using PCR to diagnose pertussis, CDC.
- Immunization schedules, CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
- Ask the experts about pertussis, immunize.org.
- Report notifiable conditions, Whatcom County Health and Community Services.
- Vaccines are available from most pharmacies and healthcare providers.
Contact Us
Contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 360-778-6100
- 360-778-6100 Main Call Line – available M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm.
- Afterhours Answering Service – available after 4:30pm and weekends, call 360-778-6100 and press 2 to be connected to the on-call manager or health officer.
- 360-778-6150 Communicable Disease Report Line – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
- 360-778-6103 Confidential Communicable Disease Fax – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
- 509 Girard Street, Bellingham WA 98225