Pertussis Cases Surging in the United States

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 7, 2025.

By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2025 -- Rates of pertussis in the United States are surging, with more than 32,000 cases reported as of mid-December -- about six times more than at this time last year and more than have been reported since 2014, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reported cases have been climbing for several months, CNN reports. About a quarter of all cases have been reported in Illinois, Indiana, and other states in the Midwest. Pennsylvania has more reported cases compared with other states. Some states, such as Oregon, ticked a record high number of cases recently. For 2024, Oregon recorded the highest number of pertussis cases since 1950, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

Cases dropped during the pandemic, but, according to the CDC, recent trends suggest that the United States is returning to prepandemic levels.

Prevention, in the form of vaccination, is the best way to protect against whooping cough, the CDC says; the agency recommends that children get the DTaP vaccine and adolescents and adults get the Tdap vaccine.

Among children, vaccination rates have fallen; only about 92 percent of kindergartners had gotten their DTaP vaccine for the 2023–2024 school year. This is below the 95 percent federal target.

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-01-08 00:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords