Amador County - The Amador County Public Health Department is reporting at least one new case of whooping cough, or pertussis, among students at Ione Junior High School. The student who was diagnosed positive is home recovering from the infection. Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease marked by severe coughing. Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person, and is spread through close contact with an infected person when they talk, sneeze, or cough. It is most contagious during the first 2 to 3 weeks of the infection, often before the severe coughing starts. Whooping cough begins with a cold, or flu-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, possible fever and a cough. These symptoms can last up to 2 weeks and are followed by increasingly severe coughing spells. The infection can be treated with oral antibiotics. Whooping cough is usually a mild disease in teenagers and adults, but can be very severe in infants. “We are especially concerned about unvaccinated infants and young children, who are at highest risk for pertussis related complications,” said Dr. Robert Hartmann, Amador County Health Officer. Even though small children are vaccinated against whooping cough, vaccine protection does not last forever, and decreases over time, typically by adolescence. There is a vaccine approved in 2005 for use, called Tdap which is available for teens and adults. Amador County healthcare providers have been notified about this current case of pertussis. Please consult with your healthcare provider if you or your children are currently experiencing a prolonged cough or flu-like illness. The Tdap vaccine is available at your health care provider or Amador County Public Health. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.