Whooping cough cases continue to spread

Amid the worst measles outbreak Texas has seen in over 30 years; pertussis cases are spiking as well.

While over 650 cases of measles have been reported in the state (nearly 900 cases nationwide), Texas’ cases of pertussis – or whooping cough – are outpacing last year’s count. Through mid-April, 1,060 cases of pertussis occurred in the state, while 1,928 cases were reported in all of 2024, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

“We’re seeing more pertussis cases now than we have in over a decade, and it’s not just numbers on a chart – it’s real kids, real families, and preventable loss,” said Janeana White, MD, a member of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Committee on Infectious Diseases and the deputy public health authority in Houston.

The United States also is seeing an increase in whooping cough cases with more than 8,000 cases reported so far in 2025 per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this time last year, over 4,200 cases were reported nationwide.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious, potentially fatal respiratory disease. Infants who are too young to be vaccinated and immunocompromised people are most susceptible.

“When we see these kids coming in, they're having these distressing coughing fits. Babies can experience pauses in breathing,” said, Karl Serrao, MD, a pediatric critical care physician and president of the Nueces County Medical Society. The Corpus Christi physician said the last time he witnessed an outbreak in whooping cough was in 2013-14.

The DTaP and Tdap vaccines provide protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. While the DTaP vaccine is given to children between 6 weeks to 6 years of age, the Tdap vaccine is for children 7 years old and older, adolescents, and adults.

Texas’ vaccination rate for DTaP and Tdap is just below the recommended 95% rate to achieve community immunity at which immunocompromised people are protected.

Hector Ocaranza, MD, a member of TMA’s Council on Science and Public Health and El Paso’s health authority, said it’s important for a pregnant mother to get the Tdap vaccine so her baby receives protection from the disease. Dr. Ocaranza is reminding Texans of the importance of the “cocooning” strategy, vaccinating people who are near newborn babies to protect them until they are old enough to receive for their own shots.

“In a majority of cases, pertussis is transmitted to infants from the parents or the grandparents. So, it’s important that everyone in the family is up to date on their vaccinations,” Dr. Ocaranza said. The CDC recommends adults receive a booster dose of the Tdap vaccine every 10 years.

As vaccination rates wane, physicians warn vaccine-preventable diseases can come back as we are seeing in some areas in Texas. By far most of Texas’ current measles outbreak cases are among people who were not known to be vaccinated, according to DSHS.

DSHS and CDC recommend children receive one dose of mumps-measles-rubella (MMR) vaccine when they are 12 to 15 months old and another at 4 to 6 years of age. Adults also can be vaccinated to defend against the disease. Adults need 1 or 2 doses of MMR vaccine if they are not vaccinated, travelling internationally or don't have evidence of immunity.

Talk to your physician to learn how vaccines can defend you and your family.

SOURCE Texas Medical Association