Whooping cough affects both children and adults - Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

A hard-to-control disease a lot of us thought was history could make a record comeback this year. The Centers for Disease Control says the number of whooping cough cases in the U.S. could hit a 50 year high.

Since January, almost 18,000 Americans been sickened and nine infants have died. Georgia reports 147 confirmed cases so far, up from 102 this time last year.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness. It's known for causing a violent, uncontrollable cough.

While the illness can be especially dangerous for babies, whose lungs are tiny and easily overwhelmed, FOX 5 talked to an Aragon, Ga. man in his 50s who says whooping cough is the worst illness he's ever been through.

Three-and-a-half-month-old Colbi Jayne of Covington spent five weeks in a hospital crib at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston battling whooping cough. Her mom, Kimberli Rains, says she has no idea how Colbi Jayne was exposed to pertussis, but for weeks, she's been having episodes where she actually stops breathing.
    
"She's struggling for her life. It's critical when she's in one of the episodes.  And it's really, it's just, it's scary," said Rains.

Terry Sizemore of Polk County knows the feeling.  He and his wife Arlene have been coughing -- sometimes so hard they vomit -- for four months now,

"We've had bronchitis. We've had colds, we've had sinus infections. But this was totally different," said Terry Sizemore.  "I thought that whooping cough was a disease for children.  I thought it had been eradicated maybe 50 or 60 years ago."

Centers of Diseases Control medical epidemiologist Dr. Tom Clark says whooping cough never really went away. In fact, the U.S. is seeing a record increase this year. It hits babies too young to be fully vaccinated the hardest.

"They're at greatest risk for severe disease and complications.  They're most likely to be hospitalized, and most of the deaths from pertussis  in the U.S. occur in babies, unfortunately," said Clark.

The state of Washington is experiencing one of the biggest, with thousands of people sick. They're seeing a jump in cases of ten year old and young preteens. The reason? The protection the childhood pertussis vaccinations offer may wane after a few years. So, the CDC recommends boosters of the D-Tap vaccine for 11- and 12-year-olds.

"And then all adults who haven't gotten one should get one as well.  Pregnant women especially should get one," said Clark.

Pregnant women may be able to pass on protective antibodies to babies like Colbi Jayne, who are too young to begin receiving the vaccine.  

After months, Terry Sizemore says he and his wife are finally feeling better, no longer coughing until it hurts.       

"It was awful, it was awful. I would never want anyone to go through that. If I had known, I would have definitely gotten a booster shot several years ago," said Sizemore.

If you're pregnant or have a young baby in the house, make sure your whole family is up to date on their pertussis shots. The pertussis vaccine is coupled with the tetanus vaccine.

If you haven't had a booster shot for either one in about10 years, it's time.