Epidemiological PSA

[beowabbit]

A few people on my Friends list have or have been exposed to whooping cough. So far, these are not people I’ve seen recently, but I thought I’d give people the heads-up that it’s floating around in our community. According to Wikipedia, it’s very contagious and the incubation period is about two days 7 to 21 days in adults (thanks, jadia!).

I hope they get better quickly and I hope the rest of you don’t get it!

Comments

[omegabeth.livejournal.com]

I hope they don't really have it! Did you hear that there were a bunch of mis-diagnoses of whooping cough because of a faulty test? http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070825/NEWS/708250316/-1/COMM01

[beowabbit]

Thanks for the link!

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

I thought that Whooping Cough was one of the things covered in the DPT vaccine. Regardless of where one stands on the vaccination debate, I *was* vaccinated, so... wouldn't that do it?

[beowabbit]

I thought that Whooping Cough was one of the things covered in the DPT vaccine.

It is. P = pertussis = whooping cough. However, at least according to Wikipedia, the immunity conveyed by vaccination decreases over time, and most adults who catch whooping cough were immunized as children. Evidently they used to give adults boosters for it, but that’s not standard any more.

[jadia.livejournal.com]

I think under "Treatment" on that page it alludes to a 7-21 day incubation period, and the 2-day incubation period seems to have been specific to infants and young children. It doesn't seem to be clear which it is to me...

(Just fyi)