McHenry County reports whooping cough cases, urges vigilance

McHenry County health authorities said Thursday they have detected and confirmed four cases of pertussis, better known as whooping cough, in the past month, including two Cary grade school students.

Department of Health spokeswoman Deborah Quackenbush said the agency does not consider the discovery an outbreak, but is asking county residents to be vigilant so one does not occur.

"We are trying to get the word out early, because early detection is the key," she said. "Usually we only see about one case a month, so when all these came in a 30-day period, that was a red flag for us."

The confirmed cases involve children ages 9 and 10 from Cary, a 42-year-old Algonquin resident and a 62-year-old from Woodstock. There is no known relationship between the four people affected, Quackenbush said.

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease with early symptoms similar to a common cold: runny nose, sneezing, mild cough and a low-grade fever.

Over time, though, the cough becomes more severe and an afflicted individual will experience bursts of numerous, rapid coughs. If left untreated, the disease can become fatal in extreme cases, particularly for infants.

Health officials urge that anyone experiencing symptoms contact their health care provider immediately. Treatment with antibiotics can shorten the contagious period of the disease.

The last significant outbreak of whooping cough occurred in 2004 when the county, as part of a major outbreak across the region, experienced 164 confirmed cases.