HJAR Nov/Dec 2024

36 NOV / DEC 2024 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS ADH CORNER COLUMN ADH CORNER THE number of people with pertussis is on the rise in Arkansas and across the nation. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) asks healthcare workers to discuss age-ap- propriate vaccinations with caregivers and patients, look for symptoms, test as necessary, and treat as needed. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a contagious bacterial respiratory illness caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacte- rium. It can cause severe coughing spells, sometimes resulting in a “whooping” sound when a person breathes in. It is endemic to the United States. Reported cases of pertussis peak every three to five years, and there are frequent outbreaks. The number of reported cases dropped during the COVID-19 pan- demic. However, this year’s numbers are on the rise to pre-pandemic levels. As of mid- September, there were more than five times as many pertussis cases across the nation compared to this time last year. A similar in- crease is happening in Arkansas. As of early October, there have been 84 pertussis cases, including six hospitalizations, reported in the state. This is more cases than any single year since 2019. Pertussis is spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person’s nose or mouth when they sneeze, cough, or laugh. Others are infected when they breathe in the droplets or touch them and then their mouths or noses. It usually takes seven to 10 days for symptoms to appear. Symptoms typically resemble the com- mon cold during the first two weeks. This can include a runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, and low-grade fever. The occasional cough may worsen to rapid, uncontrolled coughing fits that occur several times a day for up to six weeks. These coughing fits can cause people to vomit, feel very tired after PERTUSSIS Cases Increase in Arkansas: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know