Two cases of whooping cough diagnosed in WSU students

Highly contagious whooping cough is spreading among Washington State University students.

According to an alert released by Whitman County Public Health Wednesday, two WSU students have been diagnosed with the disease. The public health agency is recommending Whitman County residents to get vaccinated if they are not and take precautions to stop the spread of the disease, also called pertussis.

Whooping cough is a respiratory illness caused by a bacterial infection in the lungs. The disease presents with a cold-like cough that can become severe and end in vomiting or nausea. Untreated whooping cough can lead to pneumonia, seizures, sleep apnea and death. Symptoms are most severe in infants.

Those at high risk of developing the disease include pregnant women , children under 1 year of age and those in frequent contact with either of those groups. Whitman County Public Health recommends those in the area make sure to frequently wash their hands and cover any sneezes.

Treated with antibiotics, infected individuals should stay home and avoid contact with others until they have completed at least five days of antibiotic treatment or stay home for 21 days after the onset of symptoms to avoid spreading the infection.