Pertussis (whooping cough) is a very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. Among vaccine-preventable diseases, pertussis is one of the most commonly occurring ones in the United States.

There is high vaccine coverage for children nationwide. However, protection from the childhood vaccine fades over time. Adolescents and adults need to be revaccinated, even if they were completely vaccinated as children.

Also, pertussis vaccines are very effective but not 100% effective. If pertussis is circulating in the community, there is still a chance that a fully vaccinated person can catch this very contagious disease. When you or your child develops a cold that includes a prolonged or severe cough, it may be pertussis. The best way to know is to contact your doctor.

Pertussis Symptoms

Pertussis can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease starts like the common cold, with runny nose or congestion, sneezing, and maybe mild cough or fever. But after 1–2 weeks, severe coughing begins. Infants and children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they're forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. Pertussis is most severe for babies; more than half of infants less than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized. About 1 in 5 infants with pertussis get pneumonia (lung infection), and about 1 in 100 will have convulsions. In rare cases (1 in 100), pertussis can be deadly, especially in infants.

How Pertussis Spreads

People with pertussis usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Many infants who get pertussis are infected by parents, older siblings, or other caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.

Pertussis in the United States

Since the 1980s, there's been an increase in the number of cases of pertussis, especially among teens (10–19 years of age) and babies less than 6 months of age. In 2008 there were more than 13,000 reported cases including 18 deaths from pertussis nationally.

Preventing Pertussis

The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. In the US, the recommended pertussis vaccine for children is called DTaP. This is a safe and effective combination vaccine that protects children against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. For maximum protection against pertussis, children need five DTaP shots. The first three shots are given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The fourth shot is given between 15 and 18 months of age, and a fifth shot is given when a child enters school, at 4–6 years of age. Parents can also help protect infants by keeping them away as much as possible from anyone who has cold symptoms or is coughing.

Vaccine protection for pertussis, tetanus, and diphtheria can fade with time. Before 2005, the only booster vaccine available contained tetanus and diphtheria (called Td), and was recommended for adolescents and adults every 10 years. Today there are boosters for adolescents and adults that contain tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (called Tdap). Pre-teens going to the doctor for their regular check-up at age 11 or 12 years should get a dose of Tdap. Adults who didn't get Tdap as a pre-teen or teen should get one dose of Tdap instead of the Td booster. Most pregnant women who were not previously vaccinated with Tdap should get one dose of Tdap postpartum before leaving the hospital or birthing center. Getting vaccinated with Tdap is especially important for families with and caregivers of new infants.

The easiest thing for adults to do is to get Tdap instead of their next regular tetanus booster—that Td shot that they were supposed to get every 10 years. The dose of Tdap can be given earlier than the 10-year mark, so it's a good idea for adults to talk to a healthcare provider about what's best for their specific situation.

Since a measles vaccine was licensed in 1963, measles cases in the United States have decreased by more than 99%.

Most adults born before 1957 had measles as children. They might remember being sick for a few days with a rash and fever. And they might recall that other children in their school or neighborhood had measles at the same time. What they might not remember is that some children developed severe complications, like pneumonia or encephalitis (swelling of the brain), or even died from measles.

Today, thanks to vaccines, very few children in the United States get measles. Since a measles vaccine was licensed in 1963, measles cases in the United States have decreased by more than 99%. In 2009, only 71 cases of measles were reported in the United States. And most of the recent U.S. cases have been among or linked to travelers returning from or visiting from other countries.

The United States has benefited from the success of its measles vaccination program. But for this benefit to continue, we must maintain a high level of vaccination in the community. Measles is still common in many countries and can easily be carried into the United States by travelers. Measles virus is highly contagious and can spread rapidly in areas and communities where vaccination is not widespread.

Complications from measles are still dangerous and occur more commonly in children younger than 5 years of age and adults 20 years of age or older. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it. In fact, worldwide, measles is still a significant cause of vaccine-preventable death among children. It is estimated that in 2008 there were 164,000 measles deaths worldwide—that equals about 450 deaths every day or about 18 deaths every hour.

The Best Protection against Measles—the MMR or MMRV Vaccine

Measles vaccine is usually administered as MMR, a combination vaccine that provides protection against three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMR vaccine is strongly endorsed by medical and public health experts as safe and effective. Two doses are recommended for children—the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose before entering school at 4 to 6 years of age.

Your child’s healthcare provider may also offer the MMRV vaccine, a combination vaccine that provides protection against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). MMRV vaccine is licensed for children 12 months to 12 years of age and may be used in place of MMR vaccine if varicella vaccination is needed in addition to measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination. Your child’s healthcare provider can help you decide which vaccine to use.

Anyone who does not have evidence of measles immunity is at risk for measles during international travel. Check with your healthcare provider to see if you or your child (including children less than 12 months of age) should be vaccinated before traveling.

To See If Your Child's Vaccine Is Due

• Check your child's vaccination record,
• Contact his or her healthcare provider, or
• Visit the immunization scheduler for newborn to 6-year-old children.

One of the best ways to protect children from measles is to vaccinate them on time.

Paying for Vaccine

Most health insurance plans cover the cost of vaccines, but you may want to check with your insurance provider before going to the doctor. If you don't have insurance, or if it does not cover vaccines, the Vaccines for Children Program may be able to help. The Vaccines for Children program helps families of eligible children who might not otherwise have access to vaccines. The program provides vaccines at no cost to doctors who serve eligible children.

Some Adults Need MMR Vaccine Too!

Anyone born during or after 1957 who has not had measles or been vaccinated is at risk and should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Two doses are recommended for adults who are at higher risk, such as college students, international travelers, and healthcare personnel.

Every 15 seconds, somewhere in the world, a child dies from pneumonia. Many of these deaths are preventable through vaccination and appropriate treatment.

What Is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages.  Signs of pneumonia can include coughing, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, chills, or chest pain. Certain people are more likely to become ill with pneumonia. This includes adults 65 years of age or older and children less than 5 years of age. People up through 64 years of age who have underlying medical conditions (like diabetes or HIV/AIDS) and people 19 through 64 who smoke cigarettes or have asthma are also at increased risk for getting pneumonia.

Causes

 

Send a Health-e-Card

Encourage friends and loved ones with certain health conditions, like diabetes and asthma, to get vaccinated against the flu and bacterial pneumonia.

 

When bacteria, viruses or, rarely, fungi living in your nose, mouth, sinuses, or the environment spread to your lungs, you can develop pneumonia or other infections. You can catch the bacteria or viruses from people who are infected with them, whether they are sick or not.

Types of Pneumonia

You may have heard of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). When someone who hasn't recently been in the hospital or another healthcare facility develops pneumonia, it's called community-acquired.

Pneumonia is associated with healthcare when someone gets the infection during or following a stay in a healthcare facility (like hospitals, long-term care facilities, and dialysis centers). These infections are labeled healthcare-associated pneumonias, which includes healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

In the U.S., the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae(pneumococcus) and the most common viral causes are influenza, parainfluenza, and respiratory syncytial viruses. In children less than 1 year of age, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of pneumonia. Other common bacterial and viral causes of pneumonia in the U.S. include Staphylococcus aureus and adenovirus. Pneumocystis jirovecii, a fungus formerly known asPneumocystis carinii, is a common cause of pneumonia in patients with AIDS.

Reduce Your Risk

Pneumonia can be prevented with vaccines. Following good hygiene practices can also help prevent respiratory infections. This includeswashing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops), and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve. You can also reduce your risk of getting pneumonia by limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

In the U.S., there are several vaccines that prevent infection by bacteria or viruses that may cause pneumonia. These vaccines include:

• Pneumococcal,
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib),
• Pertussis (whooping cough),
• Varicella (chickenpox),
• Measles; and
• Seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza (flu) vaccines.

National and Global Impact

In 2006, 1.2 million people in the U.S. were hospitalized with pneumonia and 55,477 people died from the disease.

Globally, pneumonia kills more than one and a half million children less than 5 years of age each year. This is greater than the number of deaths from any other infectious disease, such as AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis. Access to vaccines and treatment (like antibiotics and antivirals) can help prevent many pneumonia-related deaths. Pneumonia experts are also working to prevent pneumonia in developing countries by reducing indoor air pollution and encouraging good hygiene practices.

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria. When the bacteria invade the body, they produce a toxin, or poison, that causes painful muscle contractions. Tetanus infection mainly affects the neck and abdomen. Tetanus is also called "lockjaw" because it often causes a person's neck and jaw muscles to lock, making it hard to open the mouth or swallow. It can also cause breathing problems, severe muscle spasms, seizures, and paralysis. Complete recovery can take months. If left untreated, tetanus can be fatal.

Tetanus is different from other vaccine-preventable diseases in that it does not spread from person to person. The bacteria are usually found in soil, dust and manure and enter the body through breaks in the skin – usually cuts or puncture wounds. About 3 weeks after exposure, a child might get a headache, become cranky, and have spasms in the jaw muscles. The bacteria can then produce a toxin that spreads through the body causing the painful symptoms of tetanus. The muscle spasms can be strong enough to break a child's bones, and a child might have to spend several weeks in the hospital under intensive care.

Tetanus Vaccine Protection

The DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) can help prevent tetanus in young children. DTaP shots are recommended for healthy babies at ages 2, 4, and 6 months, and again at 15 through 18 months of age. A DTaP booster is recommended for children ages 4 through 6 years.

Because immunity to tetanus decreases over time, older children need to get the Tdap vaccine. This booster shot contains a full concentration of tetanus and lower concentrations of diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). The Tdap vaccine is recommended for all 11-18 year olds, preferably given to pre-teens going to the doctor for a regular check-up at age 11 or 12 years.

Because immunity to tetanus decreases over time, adults need to get a booster shot every 10 years to stay protected. For adults who haven't gotten Tdap yet, the easiest thing to do is to get Tdap instead of their next regular tetanus booster. The dose of Tdap can be given earlier than the 10-year mark, so it's a good idea for adults to talk to a doctor about what's best for their specific situation. Make sure you and your child are protected against tetanus.

Is Your Child Up to Date on Vaccinations?

• Check your child's immunization record,
• Contact his or her healthcare provider,
• See the Parent Version of the 2010 Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth 6 Years Old  [PDF - 460KB], or
• See the Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons 7 through 18 Years  [PDF - 134KB]

Paying for the DTaP and Tdap Vaccines

Most health insurance plans cover the cost of vaccines, but you may want to check with your insurance provider before going to the doctor. If you don't have insurance or if it does not cover vaccines, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program may be able to help.

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost to doctors who serve eligible children. Children younger than 19 years of age are eligible for VFC vaccines if they are Medicaid-eligible, American Indian, Alaska Native, or have no health insurance. "Underinsured" children who have health insurance that does not cover vaccination can receive VFC vaccines through Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Centers. Parents of uninsured or underinsured children who receive vaccines through the VFC program should check with their doctors about possible administration fees that might apply. These fees help doctors cover the costs that result from important services like storing the vaccines and paying staff members to give vaccines to patients. However, VFC vaccines cannot be denied to an eligible child if a family can't afford the fee.

To learn more about the VFC program, visit the VFC Web site or ask your child's doctor.