Taking the ‘Whoop’ Out of Whoopee!

We don’t normally report on medical issues, but notes from a couple of sailors currently traveling in Mexico have put whooping cough into the spotlight. They report that they became very ill with this highly contagious bacterial disease (also termed pertussis), as have others within the sailing community. Most importantly, though, they want readers to be aware that, even if you were vaccinated as a child, you should also receive an adult booster.

But we’re not just talking to travelers. Outbreaks of whooping cough are also common in both the U.S. and Canada — which in some cases leads to death (5,000-10,000 annually in the U.S. alone).

A federal advisory panel recently recommended that ALL American adults get the adult version of the vaccine, especially those who spend time around small children, who are the most vulnerable to severe reactions. Children have been vaccinated against whooping cough since the ’40s, but the vaccine for adolescents and adults was not licensed until ’05.

So whether you’re about to fly off and play in the tropics or just hang out with family members, this advice is probably well worth heeding.