Whooping cough hits Oneida County

The Oneida County Health Department is aggressively treating an outbreak of whooping cough (pertussis) that first struck the Lakeland area and now may have spread to Rhinelander.

There are three confirmed cases of whooping cough in the county, Oneida County Health Director Linda Conlon said Friday.

The health department also suspects, but has yet to confirm, a number of other people have contracted the disease.

"We have a whole list of probable cases and contacts," said Conlon.

"The possible cases are concentrated most heavily in the Lakeland area but there is at least one possible case in the Rhinelander area," she added.

Concern over the illness prompted Lakeland High School to cancel its swim meet Thursday.

Contacts refer to persons who have had contact with persons suffering from the highly contagious disease.

Conlon said the health department is taking a very aggressive approach to the outbreak.

Even those who have not had their illness confirmed are being treated with antibiotics. Those with confirmed cases have been told not to leave their homes until they have completed five days of antibiotic treatment.

Pertussis is a bacterial disease that causes cold-like symptoms in its early stage, with a cough that gets progressively worse. Pertussis coughs can become so bad it can be difficult for the patient to breathe, sleep, or eat.

An individual with pertussis may have intermittent coughing spasms for weeks.

Pertussis can infect anyone and, according to Conlon, Wisconsin has been heavily plagued with the disease.

"Wisconsin is second in the nation in number of pertussis cases diagnosed," Conlon said, noting that the current outbreak started in the southern part of the state and seems to be slowly spreading northward.

Most of the new cases diagnosed have been in children age 10-15, Conlon added.

There is a vaccine for pertussis (DTaP) which is routinely given to infants and young children but the protection from the vaccine decreases over time.

Anyone concerned that they, or a family member, may have pertussis should contact a health care professional immediately. Simple laboratory tests conducted early in the illness can determine whether the illness is pertussis. Individuals with a cough of seven days or longer, explosive cough, or sleep disturbing cough, should consult with their medical provider regarding possible testing.

Other questions regarding pertussis can be answered by your local county health department staff.