Whooping Cough Cases Climb in Tulsa County, Prompting Doctor's Call for Vaccination

Cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, are on the rise in Tulsa County, according to the Tulsa Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The local increase mirrors a pattern health officials are seeing in other parts of the country.

Since Jan. 1, 2024, the county has recorded 50 confirmed cases, while Oklahoma as a whole has logged more than 350. Patients in Tulsa County have ranged in age from 14 days to 50 years. About 77% of the reported cases were in people younger than 18, and 38% were in children under 5.

The CDC describes pertussis as a respiratory illness that can produce a "whooping" sound when a person gasps for air after coughing. Dr. Theresa Horton, a pediatrician at the Utica Park Clinic in Owasso, has treated several cases this year. "It's not an epidemic, but it's at much higher levels than I have seen it in the 30 years I have been doing pediatrics," she said.

Symptoms vary with age and vaccination status, Horton said. Young children with smaller airways and those who are unvaccinated are the most likely to develop the classic whoop, while older children, vaccinated children and adults more often have a hard cough without it. The illness can resemble a common cold at first, but Horton said the two diverge over time. Colds typically peak around days three to five and then improve, whereas whooping cough tends to worsen, with repetitive coughing fits severe enough to cause gagging or vomiting.

Babies younger than one year face the greatest danger, according to both Horton and the CDC. "It's definitely a life-threatening illness, and it's most risky under the age of one," Horton said. She added that older adults, especially those with underlying health conditions, are also at risk, but that her primary concern is newborns.

Vaccination is the main means of prevention, Horton said. She stressed the importance of vaccination during pregnancy, since babies cannot be vaccinated for the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. A mother who is vaccinated while pregnant passes immunity to her baby, which helps cover that gap. Horton acknowledged that families should weigh the costs and benefits of any treatment, but said the benefits of the vaccine outweigh its risks. Side effects exist, she said, but they are mild and less frequent than the problems caused by the disease itself.

Anyone unsure whether they have whooping cough can be tested with a nasal swab. No rapid test is available, and results usually take about 24 hours. Horton said knowing the diagnosis matters because the infection is bacterial and responds to most antibiotics in a certain class. With the right antibiotic, a patient is no longer contagious after a full five days of treatment, though the cough can linger afterward. Earlier treatment generally means a shorter course and a quicker end to the cough.

Beyond antibiotics, Horton suggested measures to ease discomfort. Honey can help soothe a cough, she said, and studies have shown it works about as well as Robitussin. Fluids, cool mist humidifiers and other steps that reduce irritation in the upper airway can also help. For young children with nasal drainage, saline drops and suction may provide relief.