Pertussis in Central Otago

Pertussis in Central Otago

There have been six confirmed cases of pertussis in Wanaka and Hawea and a further six cases are probable with a number of other laboratory results pending. Of the six confirmed cases five are from unvaccinated people, and five are children.

Public Health South has been notified of over 80 possible cases of pertussis in Wanaka and Hawea. Two probable cases have also been notified from Cromwell, one is an adult and the other a child. Four cases have been notified from Queenstown. Just over half of the notifications have been from people who were either not vaccinated or had incomplete vaccination histories.

Symptoms of pertussis include a cough lasting more than two weeks, sometimes with a characteristic whoop and post cough vomiting. The symptoms are initially hard to distinguish from a viral cough, which is why there are a large number of notifications which may not all turn out to be pertussis. Pertussis testing and diagnosis are complicated creating a time lag between a person becoming unwell and confirmation of the disease.

It is normal for pertussis to occur in the community and significant outbreaks have been experienced in New Zealand in the past, most recently in 2012.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis. Vaccination is available free of charge up to the age of 18, or for pregnant women in their last trimester. Vaccination of pregnant women provides some protection to the mother and the infant after birth. Pertussis is highly contagious; it is one of the most infectious vaccine preventable diseases. It is a serious disease particularly in young infants not old enough to be vaccinated. Prior to the vaccine pertussis was a major cause of infant death. Some of the notified cases are in infants and Doctors are providing them with antibiotics on suspicion of illness without waiting for a confirmed laboratory result.

Those children who have not been fully vaccinated remain most vulnerable to the infection and it is recommended they are vaccinated as soon as possible to increase their chances of protection. For those children who have been fully vaccinated, they will have some protective immunity to the illness for a few years and therefore may not develop the symptoms or their symptoms may be milder. Immunity does unfortunately fade over time and even catching the infection does not provide lifelong immunity, which is why older children and adults can still get and spread the infection.

Pertussis is caused by a bacterium Bordetella pertussis which responds to treatment with antibiotics.

The best way to stop the spread of disease is to stay away from work or school if you are unwell, and see your Doctor if you are worried or symptoms persist.

Dr Keith Reid, Medical Officer of Health

ENDS

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