The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that as of Sept. 14, 2010, there have been 4,017 confirmed, probable and suspect cases of pertussis (whooping cough) reported in 2010 for a state rate of 10.3 cases per 100,000.
According to data from the CDPH, 3,985 of reported cases had disease onset in 2010, with 183 new cases reported this week, compared to 234 in the prior week. This is the most cases reported in 55 years when 4,949 cases were reported in 1955 and the highest incidence in 48 years when a rate of 10.9 cases/100,000 was reported in 1962. Previously, the peak was in 2005 when there were 3,182 cases reported.
Of the 44 percent of cases with known hospitalization information, 196 (11.2 percent) cases have been hospitalized; 115 (57 percent) of hospitalized cases were infants <3 months of age and 146 (74 percent) were infants <6 months of age.
Nine deaths have been reported; eight fatalities were infants <2 months of age at time of disease onset and had not received any doses of pertussis-containing vaccine and the remainder was an ex-28 week preemie that was 2 months of age and had received the first dose of DTaP only 15 days prior to disease onset. The majority of infant cases in 2010 have occurred in infants <3 months of age.
Rates are highest in infants <6 months of age (184 cases/100,000), in children aged 7-9 years (33 cases/100,000) and adolescents aged 10-18 years (24 cases/100,000). The majority of adolescent cases are in 10-11 year-olds. Overall rates by race/ethnicity are highest in whites (9.8/100,000), however age-specific rates indicate that the highest rates are seen in Hispanic infants <6 months of age (229/100,000).
The median case rate by county is 9.1 cases per 100,000 (range 0-128).
Dear Helpdesk: Working in a Toxic Health Care Environment
March 28th 2024Dear Helpdesk is your steadfast companion, offering life coaching and workplace advice from 2 seasoned IPs for some of your most challenging real-life situations. Let us help you navigate the intersection between work and life, guiding you to navigate the dynamic world of infection prevention with confidence and grace. This article is on handling a toxic health care environment.
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.