Pertussis cases are being reported from several states of the United States of America:
- Washington - Grant County Health District is investigating a cluster of pertussis cases among migrant farm workers in Mattawa and Quincy. Three cases have been laboratory confirmed and a further 210 contacts of the cases are being followed up. Pertussis immunisation is being offered to all farm workers and 210 contacts have received antibiotic prophylaxis.
- Virginia - Peninsula Health District has reported 5 notifications of pertussis in the last two months. Prior to then, no cases had been reported in 2014. The suspected cases have yet to be laboratory confirmed. In 2013, Peninsula Health District recorded 55 cases of pertussis.
- California - Riverside County has reported a spike in pertussis cases, with 148 recorded thus far in 2014. This compares with 15 cases for the same time period in 2013. The number of cases throughout the state for 2014, is around 4458.
- Vermont - Windham Country is reported an increase in pertussis cases with 11 recorded during June 2014. A further 5 cases have been reported thus far in July.
- South Dakota - has reported 51 confirmed cases of pertussis throughout the state in 2014. The majority of cases have been located in Lawrence County. Seventy five percent of the cases are in children under 15-years-of-age and of those, 25% were unvaccinated.
Advice for Travellers
It should be confirmed that children have received their recommended doses of pertussis vaccine in accordance with the UK schedule. The JCVI recommends pertussis boosters for pregnant women, but not for other adults in the UK.
• Further information on pertussis vaccine and adults.
