The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Prevention is best antidote to whooping cough By Julia Le METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP The recent outbreak in southern Ontario of whooping cough has prompted health officials to urge residents to get immunized. Pertussis, a.k.a. whooping cough, is a highly-contagious bacterial disease that's spread from an infected person to others through coughing or sneezing. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Longterm Care is reporting 490 confirmed and probable cases of pertussis so far this year. Last year, there were a total of 277 confirmed and probable pertussis cases. Halton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal said in this region there have been roughly 15 cases a year over the last five years, with only four cases reported to date this year. Although the outbreak hasn't affected Halton communities, he said now is the appropriate time to remind residents the importance of protecting themselves and their children by getting adequately immunized. Parents should make sure the immunization records for themselves and their children are up to date, Nosal said. Children should receive their full series of pertussis vaccine and a booster shot in their teen years to provide protection into adulthood, according to the health department. Adults, who may not have had a booster shot when they were around 15 years of age, are encouraged to visit their doctor and inquire about receiving it. Last year, the Ontario government funded the vaccine for all adults between the ages of 19 and 64. Nosal said pertussis can infect people at any age, but infants under one year of age are at a greater risk of serious complications. "They are the ones who get the sickest and they are the ones we are most concerned 5 · Thursday, August 2, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog VIOLENT COUGHING: The traditional `whoop' is common in children affected by the serious whooping cough, which is making a comeback in southern Ontario and elsewhere. In adults, however, the hallmark of the illness is a violent cough. about (and want to prevent) them from getting pertussis," he said, adding that complications can include pneumonia and seizures. He said one out of 250 infants six months and under who have contracted pertussis will die. That's because infants aren't fully vaccinated that young. They receive a dose of the vaccination at two, four and six months of age and then at 18 months and five years old, he explained. Symptoms are initially mild, and then develop into severe fits of coughing. The cough can last for weeks and make it hard for children to eat, drink or even breathe. Pertussis can also cause prolonged coughing in adolescents and adults. Nosal said he believes the rise of the disease in southwestern Ontario is a result of people being complacent that the illness is no longer an issue. He says diphtheria, for example, almost doesn't exist anymore because people are being immunized as a child. The disease most commonly infects the nose and throat. "Fortunately in Halton, the child vaccination rate is very good, at least up until this point we haven't seen anything out of the ordinary," he said. Nosal believes it's important to stay vigilant about getting the immunizations. Infants usually catch the disease from a teenager or an adult living in the same household, he said. Residents who think they may have whooping cough should call their doctor's office and tell them about their symptoms. The office would then need to arrange the appropriate infection control measures for the time of the individual's appointment so that the infection isn't passed to others. Antibiotics will likely be prescribed. For more information on pertussis, visit Halton.ca and search whooping cough or call your healthcare provider. Free Quotes AMAZING RATES! Co m Fast Service... me Auto rcia ·H l·L om ife e ·T ra ve l 2345 Wyecroft Road Unit 18, Oakville L6L 6L8 905.847.0400 ADRIAN KEITH akeith@all-risks.com