Each of us no doubt thought that “childhood” diseases like whooping cough, mumps, measles, and chickenpox are only just for kids. Sadly, that is not totally accurate. Adults CAN get childhood diseases because: (A) protection provided by childhood vaccinations can fade over time. You can have intermittent immunity, or no immunity. (B) There’s a decline in overall vaccination rates which has negatively impacted “herd immunity.” If enough people are vaccinated against childhood diseases/influenza viruses, then even those who aren’t vaccinated can benefit because those who are immune can’t spread the disease. (C) Adults can be exposed to germs from sick children or an adult who “unknowingly” has the disease and has contact with other adults. Some adults may also have weakened immune systems, and certain “childhood” diseases can lead to more serious complications.
Currently there are outbreaks of whooping cough, affecting the U.S. Canada, and Mexico. An important factor – “cases” only refers to illnesses/cases that were reported for data collection, and do not include illnesses treated at home, not seen by a doctor, or the health care provider did not report the case.
Meanwhile, there is a “garden variety” of other respiratory virus illnesses in “our” environment – many variants of what we refer to as COVID, i.e. H2Ns, subclade K, Norovirus, RSV, and pneumonia. So, in many cases you do not know what virus you have unless tested. This column this month will focus on whooping cough and also viral airborne viruses. Next month’s focus will be on measles, also causing outbreaks in these same three counties as whooping cough.
Herd immunityoccurs when enough people in a group/area/community have immunity to a germ, like a virus that is no longer spreading easily. It results from a combination of people getting vaccinated and people getting infected with the germ by “natural immunity.” Both natural and vaccine immunity cause your body to make antibodies that recognize a specific germ. Your body can then fight the germ off more easily the next time it sees it. It usually takes a large percentage of people with immunity to achieve herd immunity. The benefits of herd immunity include the potential to stop a disease from spreading in a particular area (elimination) or spreading worldwide, protecting people from serious illness and death, including those people who can’t get vaccinated or don’t develop immunity when they get vaccinated or infected. However, herd immunity isn’t permanent. Unless a disease no longer exists anywhere in the world, it can start spreading again. This usually happens if someone without natural or vaccine immunity gets infected while traveling or lives in an area where the disease still spreads. They can then spread it to others who don’t have immunity. When you have a pocket of populations or communities who are “vaccine hesitant,” that negatively impacts the benefits of herd immunity. When vaccinate rates drop, so does herd immunity protection.
Whooping cough (Pertussis) is a highly contagious airborne upper respiratory infection affecting all ages, including adults, infants, and older adults who tend to have the highest mortality and morbidity, respectively. You can spread whooping cough by expelled droplets, from the start of symptoms until three weeks after the “coughing fits” start. For example, if you have one week of cold-like symptoms before the ‘coughing fits’ begin, you’re contagious for four weeks. The bacteria damages the lining of your airways. It usually takes five to ten days for symptoms to start after exposure, but sometimes it’s as long as 21 days. Initially it may feel like a “common cold,” but after a week or two, a persistent cough continues. The cough may come and go in what is called “paroxysms,” or coughing fits/violent coughing episodes. These coughing fits can make it hard to eat, breathe or sleep. Some refer to this infection as the “100-day cough.” These symptoms can last for weeks or even months before finally clearing up. Possible complications of whooping cough (in adults) may include ear infections, nose bleeds, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failure, broken rib(s), migraines, fainting, unintended weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration – due to being unable to eat or drink because of coughing.
U.S.A – Whooping Cough:National trends are just shocking. In the first three months of 2025, the United States counted 6,600 pertussis cases, four times last year’s pace and 25 times the pace in 2023.More than 25,000 cases of whooping cough have been recorded in the U.S, as of Nov. 2025. This marks the second year in a row with higher than usual cases. In 2019, about 18,600 whooping cough cases were recorded.
CANADA – Whooping Cough: Nationally, there are more than 25,000 cases of whooping cough reported so far in 2025, according to a news report from ABC news. As of December 9, 2024, there were 1,634 cases.
MEXICO – Whooping Cough: As of May 2025, Mexico reported 943 confirmed pertussis case, and 51 deaths, with the highest numbers in Chihuahua, Mexico City, and Aguascalientes. This is the highest number of cases since 2016.
Key Points: (A) Adults can get “childhood” diseases, if exposed to the virus or bacterium, and immunity to them has faded over time. (B) Be especially careful when traveling and know the “health status” of the area you are going to. (C) Modes of transportation – airports, airplanes, trains, and cruise ships are gathering places of crowds, many people with the possibility of spreading airborne diseases to you. (D) Incubation periods of viruses and bacteria vary – some 12 hours to three days, so a person may not “show” illness or know they are ill and spreading. (E) Wear a mask as a precaution! (F) Respiratory viruses and bacteria are airborne, spread by droplets via sneezing, coughing, and speaking – most can travel 6 feet and droplets can land on objects you touch, lasting two hours on the surface. (G) Wash hands whenever possible and/or use hand sanitizer gel. (H) If you have to sneeze or cough, do so into the inner part of your bent elbow. If you do this into your hand, you are possibly spreading the virus or bacterial droplets to other people OR objects you touch. (I) Stay away from sick people AND Stay Home When You Are Sick!!
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