In recent weeks five cases of whooping cough have been reported in Coles County after 10 years without a single reported case.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is defined as an unexplained cough lasting more than two weeks. The disease is associated with violent coughing to the extent of vomiting and is characterized by a possible “whooping” sound.

“It is a communicable disease but there has to be close physical contact with someone for five minutes or more with a cough,” said Cathie Reynolds, director of nursing at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital.

Despite the recent reports of the disease, local health officials have yet to declare an outbreak.

“We are certainly not in a state of panic at this point,” Reynolds said. “We had more (cases) than you’d normally see, but it’s not an outbreak.”

However, adults and children should remain aware of the illness. Pertussis is much less severe in adults than in children, so while children are more vulnerable, adults may be less likely to realize that they have the disease. Reynolds noted that in adults, the “whooping” sound may not always be apparent.

“Children are more susceptible and it presents itself in a more severe form,” she said. “It’s an upper respiratory infection. Children have a less rigorous immune system and that’s why we treat it.”

However, all cases of pertussis are required to be reported. Once the recent cases were reported to Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital, the Illinois Department of Public Health evaluated the emergency records.

“We contacted people who might have met the case definitions of having the cough for more than two weeks and did a follow up and did tests to see the extent of the cases and to see if it is an outbreak,” Reynolds said, noting that some of the cases of whooping cough were unrelated.

Adults who have whooping cough can receive an antibiotic from their doctor.

“Erythromycin is the first drug of choice that the physician would be most apt to order,” Reynolds said.

Even though the cases of whooping cough are more severe in children, they can also be treated with a vaccination. Babies are vaccinated against the disease at an early age.

“Pertussis is one of the vaccinations babies get starting at two months of age,” Reynolds said.

“By the time you start school, you would have had five.”