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Following what has been described as an epidemic of the virus, and the death of the child of a former Echuca woman last year, doctors say immunisation is vital to protect children.

Victorian statistics show a dramatic increase in whooping cough infections from 1673 in 2008 to 6736 in 2010, with 66 per cent of cases being in adults.

Campaspe Shire recorded 54 cases of Whooping Cough last year, nearly double the number of cases for 2010.

Adults are the main carrier of the highly contagious respiratory infection, due to waning immunity after vaccination during childhood.

People become immune either through immunisation or by catching the disease itself, but protection is not lifelong and begins to fade after six to 10 years.

Jo Mason knows all about this, after her son, Jordan, contracted the virus shortly before he was due to have his secondary school booster.

Jordan was 15 and had stayed with a friend for a week over the school holidays.

“His friend had a cold. We thought nothing of it, but about two weeks passed and Jordan got a cold, which turned into a cough,” Jo said.

“The cough was pretty bad. Like, he could not stop coughing until he practically threw up to get his breath.”

Jo took Jordan to a doctor, who said it was a virus and to let it take its course, she said. 

A few days later, a different doctor told Jo the same thing, despite the fact Jordan’s cough had worsened and he was having difficulty breathing.

“I insisted on antibiotics,” Jo said.

“The next day, our friend called to say her son had been diagnosed with whooping cough.

“I couldn’t believe it had been missed. I even mentioned it to the doctor who said, ‘no, it’s not whooping cough’.

“We went back to doctor and said what we had learnt and I was told the only way of testing now, due to having had antibiotics, was a blood test, which showed elevated levels.”

Jo said the cough did not sound like a ‘whoop’, just persistent coughing causing vomiting or loss of breath. 

“We then learnt that it was before the second booster at secondary school and that the immunisation wears off over about seven years,” she said.

“Perhaps we should all be re-immunised as adults.”

Echuca GP Sue Harrison said because of a generalised increase of whooping cough, it posed the potential of adults unknowingly passing the disease on to unprotected babies. 

“One of the reasons for new cases is a reduction in ‘herd immunity’,” she said.

“Vaccines reduce the risk to the individual, widespread vaccination reduces the amount of disease in the community, which reduces the risk to those unable to be vaccinated (for example babies under two months who are not fully vaccinated until over six months) and those for whom the vaccine does not take.

Vaccines do not have a 100 per cent effect on every individual.

“Whooping cough and other vaccine-preventable diseases all carry a risk of serious disease and disability, including death.

“The complication rate of vaccines is a lot lower than the diseases. The problem is that the community forgets what it is like to have children sick or dying or born disabled from vaccine-preventable disease.”

Dr Harrison quashed claims that vaccines did more harm than good.

“Research published in years past, for example the assertion that the MMR vaccine causes autism, has since been found to be based on misleading or falsified data,” she said.

Fortunately, Campaspe Shire has fairly high levels of vaccination, according to immunisation co-ordinator Gillian Holding.

Pertussis vaccination is offered as part of the government funded immunisation program for children at two, four and six months, at four years and in year 10 of secondary school (or 15 years of age).

Because of the dramatic increase in whooping cough, the availability of the free pertussis vaccine for parents of newborn babies has been extended to June 30 this year.

Partners of pregnant women and parents of newborn babies, including adoptive and foster parents, are eligible for a free dose of the vaccine, Boostrix.

Mothers can have the booster as soon as possible following the birth and the vaccine is safe for breastfeeding mothers. 

However, the vaccine is not fully protective and immunised people can still contract whooping cough, but they are likely to have a less severe illness.

Babies are not fully protected until their third dose of the vaccine at six months, so it was important for those around new babies to be free of infection, Dr Harrison said.

Health professionals say vaccinations should be considered for siblings, grandparents, close family members or anyone else in contact with small children, with the vaccine also available for private purchase through Campaspe Shire or local GPs.

Whooping cough can kill

One in every 200 babies who contract Whooping Cough will die.

Kristian James Reade was only 14 days old when he died from whooping cough on February 14, 2011.

Samantha Reade, who grew up in Echuca, gave birth to Kristian three weeks prematurely on February 1.

On the morning of February 11, at just 10 days old, he was taken to Bendigo Hospital with signs of a cold.

Four days later, he was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital by helicopter, where he later died.

What is whooping cough?

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection. 

Babies under six months of age are most susceptible to the severe complications of whooping cough. 

The infection in adults is predominantly atypical, without the characteristic ‘whoop’ and often presents as just a prolonged cough, which may go undiagnosed. 

This means that transmission to babies and other persons can occur readily.

A person with whooping cough is infectious for up to three weeks after they start coughing. 

The cough may last for months.

What if my child has whooping cough?

They should not attend school, pre-school, day-care or similar settings where there are young children and infants for 21 days from onset of coughing or until they have received at least the first five days of a course of antibiotics.

If your child has been coughing for more than 21 days, they are no longer infectious and can go back to school or child-care.