Experts from the Oregon Health Authority, other state organizations, or community partners respond to inquiries. Republished with permission are the questions and answers.
Are a large number of the current instances of pertussis infected adults?Lake Oswego, Esther
A: Our Weekly Communicable Disease Report contains the most recent information on pertussis that has been reported to us. All reportable communicable diseases, including pertussis, have their most recent case counts displayed there; however, they are not broken down by age group.
Visit our Monthly Communicable Disease Surveillance Report, which provides data by demographic group, such as age, race, ethnicity, etc., to view an age breakdown for any communicable disease OHA tracks. Age groupings are shown in 5-year increments up until age 29, and then in 10-year increments for those over 30. Additionally, you will see the monthly totals of cases for each age group thus far this year.
As of the end of December 2024, there had been 955 cases of pertussis in individuals under the age of 20, and 194 cases in those above the age of 20. We can confidently estimate that 20% of those infected with pertussis in 2024 were adults if you define adults as those who are 18 years of age or older.
Prior coverage: Calls for immunizations as Oregon whooping cough cases continue to rise toward a record
My most recent vaccinations covered diphtheria and tetanus, but not pertussis (whooping cough). I’m seventy. My 81-year-old husband suffers from a severe, chronic, progressive respiratory disease. Should older adults who have respiratory issues and those who live with them be vaccinated against pertussis at this time?Dallas and Cathy
A: Although we advise everyone to get vaccinated against pertussis, individuals with weakened immune systems or underlying respiratory conditions are not advised to receive extra doses of the Tdap vaccine. In other words, you do not require a booster if you and your spouse have already had the Tdap vaccination. Because infants are more susceptible to serious disease from pertussis, the only time an adult would be exempt from getting boosted would be if they were pregnant.A Tdap vaccination should be administered to all expectant mothers between weeks 27 and 36 of their pregnancy.
Please use this form to report any questions you may have for the Oregon Health Authority regarding health-related matters. The agency will make an effort to address questions that will be of interest to a wide audience, even though it cannot answer all of them. Please be aware that OHA is not qualified to offer precise medical advice regarding individual medical issues.
