ALPENA — According to reports by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), pertussis (whooping cough) cases in 2024 increased by nearly 2,000%. As of Friday, 497 cases have been confirmed in the state of Michigan. The Department of District Health No. 4 (DHD4) says infants are at the highest risk.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is described by MDHHS as a respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. Symptoms begin as the common cold — runny nose, congestion, sneezing, mild cough, or fever — and then develop into a severe cough after one to two weeks.

MDHHS explains that more than half of infants less than 1 year old infected with pertussis must be hospitalized.

Dr. Joshua Meyerson, DHD4 medical director, explained that rates of pertussis have varied over the years. He said that because babies have significantly smaller airways, pertussis is more of a concern for them. They cough so much and so severely that it is hard for them to catch their breath. Further, Meyerson said that infants can experience apnea with pertussis, which is a sudden pause in their breathing and can be a sign of serious disease.

Individuals who experience pertussis can also cough so severely that they vomit or break a rib, according to Meyerson and MDHHS.

To mitigate the chances of young infants contracting pertussis, Meyerson explained that children should receive the DTaP vaccine and adults should receive the TDaP vaccine.

According to MDHHS, DTaP and TDaP vaccines are combination vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis.

Meyerson explained that people in close proximity to an infant (e.g., family members, friends) should get vaccinated because pertussis is a contagious disease. He also explained that pregnant women should get vaccinated in their third trimester for each pregnancy. In doing so, women will protect their children from pertussis when they are born until they are able to receive their first vaccination.

MDHHS recommends that children receive a DTaP vaccination in five doses: at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 through 18 months, and then 4 through 6 years.

Meyerson explained that once children are 11 to 12 years old, DHD4 and MHHDS recommend they receive the TDaP. He also noted that, as opposed to the MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps, and rubella), which makes recipients immune to measles for life, the DTaP and TDaP efficacy wanes over time. Therefore, Meyerson stressed that adults should receive TDaP vaccines every 10 years to maintain immunity to the disease.

Immunize.org explains that it is common for infected people to develop a second bacterial infection while infected with pertussis. One in 20 cases of pertussis develops into pneumonia, and rates of pneumonia increase in infants younger than 6 months old. It is also common for infants to suffer from neurological side effects, such as seizures, due to the lack of oxygen in their brains.

To treat pertussis, Meyerson explained that if individuals begin taking antibiotics within the first few days of symptoms, worsening of the disease can be prevented. However, Meyerson maintained that the DTaP and TDaP are the most effective ways to prevent pertussis.

According to Katie Spalding, DHD4 public health educator, there are no current pertussis cases in the district, which includes four counties: Alpena, Montmorency, Presque Isle, and Cheboygan. Though DHD4 does not conduct pertussis testing, vaccines are available in DHD4 offices.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.