KALAMAZOO, MI — By the end of June, 284 cases of whooping cough
(Pertussis) were reported in Michigan, including one infant
death. Since epidemics of whooping cough seem to occur every 3-5
years (Michigan’s last outbreak was in 2010), we can reasonably
expect that another is imminent, and it’s part of a trend.
Nationwide, there has been a rise in cases of whooping cough -
Washington State has seen a 1,300% rise in their numbers, with
over 2,500 cases reported between January and June 2012. Travel
to regions with high Pertussis infection rates is particularly
risky for young infants, older school-age children, pregnant
women, and adults with unknown immunization status. Locally, we
have had a cluster of Pertussis cases in older children who were
vaccinated for kindergarten and whose immunity has decreased by
around age 10, as well as two recent cases in infants. We have
also recorded a number of cases in adults of all ages. The
increase in numbers illustrates how high the potential threat is
for spreading the