Missoula has one or more whooping cough (pertussis) cases almost every year. It is likely that a significant reservoir of pertussis-susceptible adults exists because of waning immunity years after vaccination. Adult cases are usually not recognized, but they can infect others Red Book 1997 Of infants with pertussis, 70% need to be hospitalized. CDC Fact Sheet
A 1993 mumps case highlights the need for continuing vigilance. This person was not vaccinated and probably contracted the disease while out of the country. Missoula residents travel to many parts of the world, and Missoula hosts travelers from all over the globe. This increases the likelihood of the introduction of various vaccine-preventable diseases, which still occur at epidemic levels in many parts of the world. MCCHD, Health Promotion Division
And it’s not only communicable diseases from which youngsters need protection. In early 1998, a nine-day-old infant contracted neonatal tetanus, a severe, often fatal disease. The baby’s mother had never been immunized, so her baby didn’t receive any protection during pregnancy which usually lasts a few months until the vaccine series begins. MCCHD
Copyright © 2012 Missoula County
