NEWSPAPER


HEALTH and WELLNESS


NOVEMBER 2010 / PAGE 31


What’s All the Whoop About? Should you worry about whooping cough? In the last 2 weeks I’ve had


several patients come in to the of- fice concerned about the whooping cough epidemic and the mandate by the Murrieta Valley Unified School District that all 7th to 12th grade stu- dents must have a current pertussis booster to be admitted to school in the fall. I’d like to take the oppor- tunity to provide some information you won’t hear anywhere else on the subject so that you can make an educated decision on the matter of this additional recommended vacci- nation.


California is in the midst of an


infectious disease “epidemic” an epi- demic caused by Bordetella pertussis — the bacterium that causes whoop- ing cough. Whooping cough’s pri- mary clinical feature is the potential for a severe, lingering cough that can persist in many patients for weeks, if not months. The character- istic “whoop” is the sound caused by the rapid inhalation after a coughing spell. The disease is spread thor- ough the inhalation of respiratory droplets released into the air when an infected individual fails to cover their cough. In the 1920s and 1930s, per-


tussis was an annual concern as a feared childhood killer. National annual infection rates were as high as 250,000 cases with as many as


confirmation which is often not per- formed since the very duration of the cough is the most utilized diagnostic criteria. Diagnostic testing is of rela- tively low sensitivity, particularly later in disease. Treatment is often delayed due to late presentation of the patient or late recognition by practitioners. Although treatment is important to re- duce spread of infection, it does not influence the clinical course of the dis- ease. Prevention is the best option. The key to prevention does not,


9,000 deaths each year. In the 1935, health authorities introduced a com- bined vaccine against diphtheria, per- tussis, and tetanus (DPT, now replaced with DTaP). The “health authorities” would have us believe that by 1976, in the United States, as a result of routine DPT vaccinations of children, pertussis in children had been virtually elimi- nated — there were only 1,010 cases reported that year. The reality is that the pertussis death rate had declined by 79% before the vaccine was intro- duced in 1935. In 1935 there were no compulsory immunization laws and it didn’t get used much until the 1950’s at which time the death rate had de- clined by about 99%. The clinical symptoms of pertus-


sis can be difficult to distinguish from those of other respiratory infections. Symptoms may appear at first similar to those of a common cold: runny nose or congestion, sneezing, mild cough. Fe- ver is often not present. At three weeks post-infection, 97 percent of patients will have a cough, and in 72 percent the cough will be severe (paroxysms). After more than nine weeks, 52 per- cent will still have a cough symptom. The challenge arises when the infected individual, unaware that they have the disease, spreads it in the early stages. Not until weeks down the road, may the diagnosis of pertussis be made. The diagnosis requires laboratory


in my opinion, include vaccination, but rather several simple approaches that improve host defenses – increased immunity. Well nourished individu- als with properly functioning immune systems that take extra vitamin C and D during cold and flu season, prac- tice frequent hand washing and basic


“cover your cough” skills are at a low risk of contracting the disease in the first place. Please keep in mind that the


whooping cough vaccination is “piggy backed” with Diphtheria and Tetanus neither of which we are currently experiencing an epi- demic. The vaccine caries with it, among other things, a multitude of preservatives and additives in- cluding, but not limited to, gelatin, casein, formalin (formaldehyde), ethylene glycol (antifreeze), la- tex, genetically modified yeast, and MSG. Formalin is a dilute formaldehyde solution. Nearly 50 studies have shown a link between formaldehyde exposure


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