CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS SURGES IN TEXAS - WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

Texas is reporting a significant increase in cases of pertussis, or better known as whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to vomiting or pauses in breathing. Complications are most severe in infants and young children who are not fully immunized, according to health officials.

State officials are reporting 3,500 cases through October this year, which is roughly four times the number reported for the same period last year, according to a health alert from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Monday, November 3. This is the second consecutive year that Texas is experiencing high year-over-year increases in reported pertussis cases, and the second consecutive year DSHS has issued a health alert on the illness.

In San Antonio, health officials are seeing a similar increase in whooping cough cases, according to Dr. Jason Bowling, a professor and infectious disease specialist for UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, and with University Health. Here's what to know about the rising cases and the illness, according to Bowling.

Is there an outbreak of whooping cough now?

Whooping cough cases in Texas and the United States have been increasing, according to DSHS. There are several important factors leading to the increased reporting of pertussis cases, including waning immunity in adults and adolescents. Last year, Texas reported 1,907 cases, with more than half of them occurring in November and December. The last peak year in Texas was 2013 with 3,985 cases, the highest annual case count since 1959, according to DSHS.

San Antonio had a similar spike in 2024, with the majority of the cases being reported in the last three months, according to Bowling. Since then, Bowling said the trend has kind of continued through this year. He added that cases tend to be reported more in the fall and winter seasons as more and more people are going to the hospital for cold-like or flu-like symptoms, which the whooping cough has similar symptoms.

How to tell if you've got a whooping cough?

Early symptoms are similar to the common cold. One to two weeks after symptoms start, people may develop coughing fits. The cough generally gets worse and becomes more frequent as the illness continues, and can cause people to vomit or make a "whoop" sound as they breathe in between coughs. The cough could last for weeks or maybe even months, according to Bowling.

Bowling said whooping cough typically happens in three stages with adults. The first stage lasts for a couple of weeks, with symptoms like a running nose, cough, and some congestion. This period is when people are the most contagious to others, Bowling said. The second phase, which happens after the first kind of two weeks, is where people start to have these prolonged coughing spells that are more consistent with what people recognize as whooping cough. In the third stage, the cough gradually improves, with a mild cough that may persist for several weeks.

How dangerous can whooping cough be for infants and young children?

Infants under one year old are at the greatest risk of getting whooping cough and having severe complications from it. About one-third of babies younger than 12 months old with whooping cough need treatment in a hospital. DSHS indicates that approximately 85% of whooping cough cases in Texas this year have occurred among children.

The difference among infants is that they don't have coughing spells, and instead can sometimes stop breathing, Bowling said.

"And obviously that's an emergency. So it's particularly significant for kids who are zero to 12 months," Bowling said when discussing how the whooping cough affects infants.

If children have more severe or prolonged symptoms, that's when parents and guardians should go to their physician. He said parents should look out for if they're children are having a high fever that isn't getting better, even when using fever-reducing medicines. Bowling added to also watch if symptoms are kind of significant, such as changes in breathing patterns.

How to help prevent whooping cough?

The best way to protect against whooping cough is vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends pertussis vaccines for people of all ages. The childhood whooping cough vaccine is given as part of a combination shot called DTaP, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough).

Children typically receive the series at two months, four months and six months. Then, children get it again at the 15 to 18-month time period to provide additional protection before they go into the daycare setting. Then again, between four to six years, when they're entering kindergarten, Bowling said.

After being 19 years old, adults are supposed to get the Tdap booster, which is usually given to refresh protection against tetanus and diphtheria. However, it also includes the whooping cough component to help prevent the illness from spreading as immunity fades over time, Bowling said. If you aren't sure when you last had a Tdap booster, Bowling recommends talking to your provider to check your records. If it's been more than 10 years, then a doctor would likely provide them with the Tdap booster.

Health officials also recommend that pregnant women receive the Tdap to protect infants when they are most vulnerable. Vaccination during each pregnancy is important for transferring high levels of protective antibodies to the infant before birth, according to DSHS. Bowling also recommends that adults get vaccinated before meeting a newborn.

"If you're sick, you should be mindful of that," Bowling said. "Don't go visit small children, especially babies, right until you're past your illness."

For more information on whooping cough, visit the CDC's website.

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2025-11-08T10:53:53Z