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Saturday, November 15, 2003
Whooping cough makes a comeback in Oregon
PORTLAND -- Cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, are on the rise in Oregon, mirroring a national resurgence in the sometimes-fatal respiratory disease, state and Multnomah County health officials said yesterday.
The bacterial disease, marked by a persistent cough and shortness of breath, affects adults much like a common cold but can be deadly for infants.
This year, Oregon has reported 402 cases of whooping cough -- up from 193 last year. There have been clusters of cases in Multnomah, Jackson and Lane counties, said Gary Oxman of the Multnomah County Health Department.
Nationwide, whooping cough cases have increased by 20 percent, Oxman said, typical of the airborne disease's cyclical nature.
In late September, public health authorities in Washington said the illness had exploded in Seattle and King County this year, with the 189 cases at that time the highest in a quarter-century.
Whooping cough begins with symptoms similar to the common cold -- sneezing, a dripping nose, a low-grade fever and a mild cough. But within two weeks, the cough becomes more severe, characterized by a series of rapid coughs and a "whoop" sound as the infected person struggles to catch his or her breath.
Adults and adolescents feel sick, especially at night, said Dr. Paul Lewis, an associate pediatrics professor at Oregon Science and Health University. He heads OHSU Hospital's Infection Control Program.
But infants and young children are more susceptible, Lewis said. They cough more often and have difficulty feeding.
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