Calif. whooping cough outbreak may be largest in 55 years

[SarahB]

Source: MSNBC

LOS ANGELES — State health officials reported Thursday that California is on track to break a 55-year record in whooping cough infections in an epidemic that has already claimed the lives of nine babies.

At least 4,017 cases of the highly contagious illness have been reported in California. Data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control show 11,466 cases nationwide, though the federal numbers are known to lag behind local reporting.

Whooping cough is a cyclical illness that peaks in number of infections every five years. Symptoms are similar to the common cold, making it a challenge to diagnose, which in turn makes it difficult for officials to determine if the worst has passed, said Dr. Gil Chavez, state epidemiologist for the California Department of Public Health.

A persistent cough that lasts weeks is the tell-tale symptom of the illness, which is also known as pertussis.

The state is on track to exceed the record 4,949 cases reported in 1955. The bacterial infection tends to peak during summer months, but infections could continue into coming weeks, said Chavez

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39220447/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

---

You can thank Jenny McCarthy and the rest of the anti-vaccination crowd for, without a shred of evidence, scaring people away from vaccines. They have blood on their hands.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Damn. The anti-vaccine folks are winning this round.

And the kids are losing.

[area51]

2. Yep. n/t

[Blacksheep214]

3. Penn & Teller

did an episode of BULLSHIT! this past August on the hype surrounding immunizations.

Their take?

Fear of immunizations is BULLSHIT!

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/08/penn_teller_deconstruct_the_anti-vaccine.php

[HuckleB]

4. Why We Vaccinate (From Skepchick)

Why we vaccinate. Part 4.
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/09/why-we-vaccinate-part-4/

Why we vaccinate. Part 3
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/09/why-we-vaccinate-part-3/

Why we vaccinate. Part 2
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/08/why-we-vaccinate-part-2/

Why we vaccinate. Part 1.
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/08/why-we-vaccinate-part-1/

and one more...

w00ting cough: JLo saves the world!
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/08/w00ting-cough-jlo-saves-the-world/

[Drops_not_Dope]

5. .

[FirstLight]

6. wait a minute...

What about the kids/teens who get this who had been vaccinated but the booster didn't stick...? I believe that was something I had heard about in my son's high school last year....?

[kerouac2]

40. Yep, you can still get it.

Even if you've been vaccinated, you can still get it. They say it will be less severe, but you can still get it. I think the effectiveness is about 80% once you get the vaccine. It just doesn't work for everyone, I guess. Then it starts wearing off so that by the time your 5 it's about 50% and then you would need a booster again at 11-15 years old. The diptheria and tetanus portion are more effective, like 95 to 100%, but they only last for about 10 years too. About 25 kids got it in a local junior high school a few years ago. All of them were vaccinated. The boy that "started" it was sick for weeks but his doctor never tested him for pertussis because he had been vaccinated. By the time he tested him, he had already given it to the other kids.

[Bozita]

7. Washtenaw Co. MI public health officials sound warning for whooping cough epidemic

This is a week and a half old, but very much on topic.

The link contains an ABC News report on whooping cough.


http://www.annarbor.com/news/public-health-department-officials-sound-warning-for-whooping-cough-epidemic/

Washtenaw public health officials sound warning for whooping cough epidemic
By: Juliana Keeping
Posted: Sep 4, 2010 at 6:00 AM


Whooping cough has become a Washtenaw County epidemic.

And with the start of the school year, public health officials are sounding the warning that the highly contagious bacterial disease could gain even more momentum.

It's known as whooping cough for the "whoop" sound those with the infection make between coughing spasms as they try to breathe, and it can be fatal to infants.

As of Friday, 94 cases have been reported in Washtenaw County in 2010. Comparatively, the total number of whooping cough cases stood at 81 in 2009; the last record year was 36 cases in 2003, according to the Washtenaw County Public Health Department.

more...

[whathappened]

8. had this

when i was 6 months old , dam near killed me was what i was told , double pnrumoniaand whooping cough , bacck then i was packed in ice to beat this thing , no wonder my bones hurt

[xchrom]

9. Recommend

[Blacksheep214]

10. I keep reading about babies

but not adults.

I am going to the doctor tomorrow. I have had a dry cough for a few days now and don't know why.

I also live with my Grand daughter and am in California.

I'll let you know.

[du_grad]

12. Babies end up not being able to eat or breathe/links and video

They choke on the phlegm. They cough and cough and cough up stuff. My mother had it when she was young. She said the whole family was in quarantine (20's or early 30's). My grandmother put a bucket out in the back yard. They coughed so hard they went out in the backyard to vomit. Babies can choke on the phlegm and get aspiration pneumonia and die. They can't keep food down and get dehydrated. Once it goes into the coughing phase it's very hard to treat with antibiotics.

Adults whose vaccination wore off can pass pertussis to infants. Any adult with a very persistent cough should stay away from infants. Young adults in particular can pass this on. It happened with a coworker in the lab I work in. The infant ended up in the hospital.

http://www.pkids.org/dis_pert_stsop.php

http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZV4IAHbC48&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuvn-vp5InE&feature=related

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. "Choke on the phlegm"

I think I had it when I was somewhere in the range of 9-13. I tend to run those years together. It was a bad cough with alot of phlegm. A LOT. I thought I was over it and I was laying down watching television when I suddenly realized that the phlegm had blocked my airwaves. I tried to breath in but there was no in. I got up and tried to call for help but there was nothing. My brother was in the room watching me without understanding what was going on. I walked into the hallway, planning to go get adult help. Thankfully, in the act of getting up and moving the airtube got unblocked and I could breath again.

[mainer]

19. It's most serious in babies and young children

because they have smaller airways.

[SlipperySlope]

11. Gee, thanks Jenny McCarthy!

[hayu_lol]

13. Had this before I was 6 months old...

early 1936 that was. No drugs to fight it. Almost died. My mother told me that she could put her thumb and index finger around my neck.

No immunizations back in those bad old days.

[Steerpike]

14. i had whooping cough about 11 years ago

i coughed so hard and so repetitively i could not catch my breath. I would cough until i lost consciousness. a very violent sickness...i had extremely sore ribs at the end of it all...the panic in my wifes eyes as the world turned to blackness was sobering indeed...

[fasttense]

15. I'm not so sure that it is the anti-vaccination crowd.

I think it is the the growing poverty and uninsured crowd. I know around here there are very limited "free" vaccines even for children. And some of the supposed "free" vaccines cost $12 to $25.

When you don't offer routine vaccinations for free in poverty stricken areas, you get more preventable diseases spreading around. And they even spread to the rich and well-off.

[slackmaster]

17. It's all that plus uncontrolled immigration

Our immigration policy needs to be reformed in a serious way. People who want to come here to work should be able to, and they should be required to prove that they've had all of the required vaccinations.

[wordpix]

42. good news, at least the CEOs of health insurance/Pharma corps are doing well

:sarcasm: I know it's hard for them to give free vaccines though, when they're making so little at the top. :sarcasm:

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/on-call/2010/08/20/focusing-on-health-costs-a-close-up-look-at-health-ceo-salaries/

And here’s what the CEOs at the major insurance companies serving our area made in FY 2009.

UnitedHealth Group: CEO Stephen Hemsley made $7.46 million in annual compensation, plus he exercised stock options worth $98.578 million, for total compensation of more than $106 million.

Cigna CEO H. Edward Hanway earned annual compensation of $17 million, and exercised stock options worth just under $1 million.

Humana CEO Michael McCallister earned $3.1 million, with exercised stock options worth more than $11 million.

Aetna CEO Ronald Williams earned $8.17 million, and exercised stock options worth more than $5.4 million.

WellPoint CEO Angela Braly earned $9.1 million and exercised stock options worth more than $1 million.

What about the major pharmaceutical companies? The New York Times’ Prescriptions blog took this issue up last month, using data from FiercePharma.

Ex-Schering-Plough CEO Fred Hassan earned $49.6 million including salary, compensation and a bonus tied to Merck’s purchase of the company.

Johnson and Johnson CEO Bill Weldon earned $30 million.

Abbott Laboratories’ Miles White earned $26.2 million.

Eli Lilly’s John Lechleiter earned $20.9 million.

Novartis’ Daniel Vasella earned $20.24 million.

Merck’s Richard Clark earned $16.8 million.

Pfizer’s Jeff Kindler earned $14.8 million.

[kestrel91316]

18. Herd immunity now insufficient to prevent an epidemic. THANK YOU, anti-vaxers!

[hayu_lol]

20. Cut out the exemptions from immunization...

want your kid in school? Immunize or don't send them.

[kestrel91316]

21. Exactly. Or allow victims to sue antivaxers for spreading disease.

[HuckleB]

43. They may be able to do just that.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=6599

[laureloak]

22. Another reason to support our immigration laws. n/t

[LostinVA]

29. omfg

[Francesca9]

23. Sue the parents of unvaccinated kids

If parents decide to put my child's life at risk, why not?

[mzmolly]

24. Have you had your adult booster shot?

In spite of the hype, "kids" aren't likely to be the issue. Waning efficacy and the lack of adults vaccinating, is a far larger issue.

[kerouac2]

26. 98% of adults not up-to-date & adults most likely to pass it along

From the article cited in the OP at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39220447/ns/health-infectious_diseases

"All of the whooping cough-related deaths in California occurred in babies too young to be fully immunized against the illness, which is why parents and caretakers are being urged to get booster shots."

From: Parade Magazine, 8-8-10
http://www.parade.com/health/2010/08/08-the-new-whooping-cough-epidemic.html

"Last year, a national survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians showed that while nearly 75% of adults think they are up to date on their immunizations, only 2% have actually received this Tdap booster."

Kids (especially the most vulnerable infants) are most likely to get pertussis from their caregivers (parents, babysitters, teachers, grandparents). About 98% of adults do not have their booster according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Are people without boosters "anti-vax" people? Aren't the 98% of adults more to blame than the scant percentage of non-vaxed kids? If you haven't gotten your booster within the last 10-years or so for pertussis, then are you just as "bad" as the "anti-vax" people that the "pro-vaxers" vilify -- or are you worse because you think you're "immune" to pertussis and therefore take no precautions when handling and interacting with children?

[mzmolly]

27. Ah ha! Excellent info, thank you. Yet people blame

children and their parents for supposedly opting out. Misguided as heck! Especially considering the vitriol of the adults here (most of whom would fall into that 98 percent category.)

Welcome and thanks for the info. :hi:

[kerouac2]

33. righto - and thx for the welcome (back)

You got that right and thanks for the welcome. I actually started posting at DU in 2002 but, unfortunately, I can't login with my original login (kerouac) because I don't have access to that email anymore and I can't remember the password (doh!) -- so I registered again as kerouac2. I visit every day but haven't posted in a long time.

[mzmolly]

34. Ahhh, thought the name was

familiar. In that case, welcome back! :hi:

[kerouac2]

37. tyvm

Thank you very much :)

[mzmolly]

39. Don't be a stranger.

:hi:

[HuckleB]

25. Indeed.

It's funny to see them use goofy diversionary attempts, jumping on every single part of the equation but the one the anti-vaxers are responsible for... it's just like every other piece of nonsense they push.

[LostinVA]

28. They indeed have blood on their hands

Jesus, doctors and other medical professionals fought for years in the lab trying to figure out ways to stop these childhood scourges, and what happens? A bunch of crackpots put their kids and others in jeopardy because they are idiots. Do they not realize how many kids never reached five-years-old???

[HuckleB]

30. +1,000,000,000,000,000...

[mzmolly]

31. Are you among the 98% of adults who also have blood on their hands?

http://www.parade.com/health/2010/08/08-the-new-whooping-cough-epidemic.html

[HuckleB]

32. It's funny noting that the anti-vaccine movement is now playing "look over there."

Suddenly they want to point fingers at adults who haven't received their TDap, as if somehow that justifies the anti-vaccine movement's actions which have been aimed at convincing people to avoid vaccines.

What a bizarre view of the world it takes to twist and turn in the wind like that.

:rofl:

[kerouac2]

36. Faith and risk-refusal vs. ignorance by 98% of adults

The fact that 98% of adults haven't had a booster is significant. They are essentially unvaccinated by choice.

Most people who are opposed to vaccines or the current vaccine schedule at least have a reason.

Some hold a faith-based objection to it. If you condemn that aspect of their faith that prevents them from wanting to vaccinate, then you should condemn all aspects of religious faith (as it is non-scientific). All they need is their belief, nothing more.

Some people that don't vaccinate read the information provided by the vaccine manufacturers that list the myriad side-effects and potential (albeit slight) for death or severe injury. There is a good reason why doctors have parents sign a liability waiver before shots -- and some parents just don't think their kids are worth that risk. You can argue legitimately on the statistics on risk, but you cannot argue that vaccines pose no risk whatsoever. Maybe they delay shots, maybe they only select some, maybe they find a doctor that will work with them to find single shots and/or work out a special schedule. They don't take it lightly and most would argue that their basis for objection is more valid than "faith."

Whatever the reason, these people at least have a reason to not vaccinate.

Then you have the people that would get vaccinated if they had access to healthcare, or could afford it, or could at least have access to information/education to make a decision one way or another. And then you have people who are not legally in the US. They will not get vaccinated for fear of being deported/incarcerated. These people don't have a good reason, but it's a valid/understandable/unfortunate reason because they don't really get to choose at all.

BUT the 98% of adults that are not up-to-date on their boosters most likely think they are a-okay and can't catch (or give) anything because they had shots decades ago. They'll walk around children (even their own) hacking up a lung and chalk it up to their cigarettes or the ol' bronchitis acting up or a cold. By the time they might find out they have pertussis, they may have already given it to their vaccinated and/or unvaccinated kids, nieces, neighbors, etc.. These people are ignorant. There has been no deliberation. There were no discussions with doctors. They didn't spend countless hours researching/reading about vaccines (whether right or wrong). They simply did nothing.

By jumping all over the anti-vaxers and not just about every adult in America, pro-vaxers are giving a pass to the ignorant and condemning a small portion of people for something they have no doubt given a great deal of thought/research/soul-searching to and have stood up to a great deal of pressure and attack about. It's a lot easier on so many levels for most people to just line their kids up for shots than it is to stand up against what they believe is not in the best interest for their kids. You can believe whatever you want -- that they're right or wrong -- but at least they aren't ignorant -- they are engaged. And most are hyper-aware enough to take heed at the first sign of illness -- which is not something the other 98% who think they're immune to everything will do.

[HuckleB]

38. And you got your TDap when?

And your children are all up to date on their vaccinations?

PS: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x92932

[kerouac2]

41. Am I in the minority or majority.. hmmm..

Ruh-roh -- are the HuckleB police going to come kicking in my door looking for papers :hide:

The original post is about whooping cough. You swiped at the "anti-vaccine movement" for "pointing fingers" at adults who haven't gotten their boosters -- instead of swiping at the 98% of adults who haven't gotten their boosters. The "anti-vaccine movement" as you call it has a valid point and you are choosing to disregard it so you can swipe at them. Is it too hard for you to agree to point a finger at 98% of American adults who choose not to get the vaccine? How about a little wag of the finger?

And then knee-jerking with no more than an "are you.. are your kids?" response to my post instead of addressing the fact that most American adults are not, by choice. Am I in the 2% or not... Hmmm.. I'll withhold that information just to annoy you.

My post is a rational assessment and a question as to whether 98% of American adults get a free pass for ignorance from the "pro-vaccine movement" while the small portion that genuinely oppose vaccines (which, yes, have side effects and can be fatal) are condemned for every point they make. Is laziness a better excuse for not getting boosters? Just not caring, maybe? Apparently the only bad excuse to the "pro-vaccine movement" is that you actually fear the potential side-effects which, when you really think about it, is a better "excuse" than laziness and/or ignorance.

The number of anti-vax people pales in comparison to the number of adults wandering around thinking they are vaccinated and/or immune to everything. At least the anti-vax people know they aren't vaccinated. The 98% of adults that you can't seem to point a finger at don't care to know.

Kerouac out. Must sleep.

[HuckleB]

45. That's one nice long red herring.

Unfortunately, you fail to see that DU's anti-vax brigade is spending all its energy to point out every possible factor in the outbreak, uh, except one. It appears that they know what their advocacy could lead to, but they don't want to acknowledge that.

Why do you think that is?

[mzmolly]

49. Let me break this down logically. Try to follow along. If a small percentage

of children are not immune to pertussis via vaccination and 98 PERCENT OF ADULTS also fall into that category, it's ABSURD to post articles implying that an outbreak of disease has anything to do with a handful of Waldorf school children. I repeat, 7-8 percent of children are not fully up to date on their pertussis booster. You're bitching about them, while ignoring the parents. Want to know why? Because parents aren't as likely to comply. The pro industry lobby here is interested in a sales pitch, not public health.

[HuckleB]

50. You are choosing to ignore part of the equation.

Thus, you "logic" is missing some steps.

When will you learn that basic rule?

[mzmolly]

44. Applause!

:toast:

[HuckleB]

46. Who's been promoting adult boosters to fight pertussis? Why it's those dang pro-vaccination people!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x92932

[HuckleB]

35. How The Anti-Vax Movement Helped Bring Back Whooping Cough

http://therelativelyinterestingblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/thanks-to-anti-vaccination-movement.html

"...

By the 1970s, through vaccinations, whooping cough was as endangered as the whooping crane, with only about 0.000005 percent of the population infected. Unfortunately, fears that the DPT vaccine (a combo for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) could cause brain damage in rare cases — not entirely unfounded — gave rise to the anti-DPT movement in many industrialized countries.

At issue was the "whole-cell pertussis" element of the vaccine, since replaced in most countries, including the United States, with an "acellular" formulation (which includes purified proteins from the Bordetella pertussis bacteria), indicated by the "a" in DTaP, a common abbreviation for the vaccine these days. While never conclusively associated with brain damage, the original formulation was tied to other serious albeit rare side effects, such as allergic reactions and seizures.

Hype and consequences

The impact of the anti-vaccine movement was dramatic. In Great Britain, immunization rates for whooping cough dropped from over 80 percent to 33 percent (and in some regions to less than 10 percent) from 1974 to 1977. Then the epidemic hit. In 1979 there were over 100,000 cases and 36 deaths worldwide. In Japan in 1975, amidst public worry, the government suspended mandatory pertussis vaccines for infants; the 1979 epidemic killed over 40 children there. The same scene repeated itself in other countries, as well.

In June 2009 researchers reported in the journal Pediatrics that children who didn't receive the whooping cough vaccine were 23 times more likely to contract pertussis. In the June 2010 issue of Pediatrics, researchers found no connection between the vaccine and seizures.

..."


And still we see the anti-vaccine activists try to escape any criticism by, uh, well, by pointing fingers at adults and illegal immigrants who are not vaccinated.

Say what?

:shrug:

What a crazy world!

[Xithras]

47. This doesn't mention that the outbreak is mostly contained to hispanic communities.

8 of the 9 infant fatalities have been hispanic, and nearly 80% of the reported infections have been among latinos. According to the California Department of Public Health, the problem is threefold. First, a significant portion of the states population is here illegally, and comes from nations where pertussis vaccination rates are low or nonexistent in rural areas (vaccinations are a mandatory part of the legal immigration process). According to one statewide survey, 1 in 10 California households contains at least one illegal immigrant. In some areas, the number is as high as 1 in 3 households.

Which feeds into the second problem, according to the CDPH. Hispanics also live in larger households with a higher density of residents, which aids in the spread of communicable diseases. Part of this is caused by the practice of putting multiple families in a single home to reduce costs, and part of it is caused by the fact that hispanics simply have larger families than non-hispanics.

Finally, the third problem is that illegal immigrants are much less likely to pursue medical attention when they come down with symptoms. Because they have little money, and often fear deportation, they will often ignore pertussis symptoms hoping that it's just a cold or flu. By avoiding treatment, they are exposing the communities to the disease for a longer period of time.


This outbreak isn't news to those of us who live in the immigrant heavy portions of the state, where it has been almost-daily news for the past 6 months or so.

What we NEED here is a comprehensive vaccination campaign targeted at hispanic communities, in order to get their vaccination rates up to the level found in the rest of the population. The problem is that you get the right wingers who immediately start howling about offering medical care to illegals, and left wingers who howl about "scapegoating" the hispanics...even though the governments numbers make it perfectly clear that they are both the source AND the primary victims of the current outbreak.

Jenny McCarthy is just a distraction. Few of the people who have lost children to this disease could even tell you who she is.

[Bonobo]

48. I love the Murkans here who blame "anti-vaccers" instead of the dysfunctional US health care system.

Talk about blaming the victims....


You all think it's THAT easy to get vaccinated when we have a 2 or 3 tier medical health system?

Yeah, yeah, I know... "free clinics"... blah, blah.

Try being homeless and then tell me about "free clinics" and how easy it is to get vaccinated.

On edit: The fact that 98% of adults haven't gotten their booster shot can also be layed squarely at the doorstep of the dysfunctional HC system.

Prevention and public education about health care is one of the most basic functions of a government.

U.S. fail.

Again.