ATLANTA, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says outbreaks of respiratory illness were mistakenly attributed to whooping cough.
Two hospital outbreaks and one community outbreak of respiratory illness between 2004 and 2006 in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Tennessee were attributed initially to pertussis, or whooping cough. Subsequent investigations, however, suggested pertussis was not the cause of these outbreaks, the CDC said Friday.
Researchers said thorough epidemiologic and laboratory investigation of suspected pertussis outbreaks are necessary when considering extensive control measures. Diagnosis of pertussis is complicated by nonspecific signs and symptoms, particularly in the early stage of disease.
The CDC said reported cases of whooping cough have tripled in the United States since 2001. The increase is attributed to increased exposure to the virus, waning vaccine immunity among adults and adolescents, heightened awareness of pertussis among healthcare providers, increased public health reporting, and increased use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for diagnosis.
