Whooping Cough South Sydney!!

[Lil M]

I've just found out (via facebook!!) that my friends friend who lives in the south sydney area has whooping cough!! Not only that, but she'd been ill a couple of weeks before they found out what it was

So glad DS, DP & I are immunised

So for those of you in the sydney area, just be aware that its about

[Ffrenchknickers]

It is going around everywhere....MY step mother, sister and brother have just had it and several people in our area.

Because you are 'immunised' doesn't mean you wont get it so still be careful. Everyone I know that has had it was vaccinated.

[missie_mack]

My advice- act like your not immunised and be just as cautious. No vaccine is infallible

THE bacteria that causes whooping cough in Australia has mutated, scientists have warned, eroding the protection provided by the vaccine now given to children.

Researchers from the University of New South Wales have identified significant changes in the two most common strains of the Bordetella pertussis bacteria, which they also traced back to events in the late 1990s.
Australian children were given a broad-acting "whole cell" vaccination against whooping cough up to 1997, but this was phased out over two years and replaced with a more targeted version. Concerns over potential side-effects were behind the change over to a vaccine with a narrower scope, but this now appears to have contributed to the promotion of resistant strains.
"A key issue is that the whole cell vaccine contained hundreds of antigens, which gave broad protection against many strains of pertussis," said Associate Professor Ruiting Lan of the UNSW School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences.
"But the (targeted) acellular vaccine contains only three to five antigens.
"Our findings suggest that the use of the acellular vaccine may be one factor contributing to these genetic changes."
The research team analysed more than 200 samples of the bacterium collected over the past 40 years in Australia, and these were compared with samples from Japan, Canada, USA and Finland.
They found while the vaccine now in use was effective against some of the strains circulating in Australia it may no longer protect against two strains, known as MT27 and MT70.
Dr Lan said more research was needed to confirm the results but health authorities may need to modify the vaccine to broaden the protection it offered, "or over time it could lose effectiveness as the organism evolves".
The discovery comes amid an increase in whooping cough cases in Australia, with several significant outbreaks seen last year in western Sydney.
Protection against whooping cough is contained in the range of childhood vaccinations which, in NSW, are usually given to infants at two, four and six months. Parents who opt out of this child vaccination process were thought to have contributed to the rise in cases, along with improved diagnosis, and the mutation discovery adds a third potential contributor.
One in 200 infants who contract whooping cough before they turn six months will die of the infection

link

[Fuchsia!]

I think its great that you are trying to inform people of an outbreak.

But I do agree with Refresh, that just because your child is immunised, it doesn't mean you are all 100% protected. Many children have still caught WC even though they have had the vaccine.

So just bear in mind and make sure you are aware of the symptoms.

[biscotti]

So glad DS, DP & I are immunised

The only people I know who have had it were immunised - just so you know. Good idea to let people know it's around though.
Cheers x

[Azurial]

Thanks for the warning op, but as pp said, no vax is 100% so dont be overly confident that you are definately not going to be affected by it. I hope your not of course, but just be cautious for your family.

[Benji]

I'm sure she knows that vaccines are not 100% foolproof, but people are allowed to be thankful that themselves and their children are vaccinated.. I know I am!

[peanutbutter&jelly]

I'm sure she knows that vaccines are not 100% foolproof, but people are allowed to be thankful that themselves and their children are vaccinated.. I know I am!

I am :P I have respect for those who choose to vax and those who choose not to. Yes, I am aware of the fact they wear off, but living in an area where there is a whooping cough epidemic (SW Sydney), I would *like* to think it gives my kids an extra, oh, 1% - 2% chance not to get WC. DF wasn't vaxxed and had WC for the record He was older though (13 I think) and remembers how scary it was.

Thanks for the heads up OP, its pretty rampant in SW Sydney, a midwife at Campbelltown hospital was just diagnosed with it and they've had to give a truckload of new mama's and bubs antibiotics because of it.

[Azurial]

There are many many people out there who are led to believe the vaxes are 100% effective, the op sounded like she thought that by her wording, so I think it is up to us all as a community to correct that sort of thinking regardless if we are for or against vaccinations.

[Areca]

My kids and myself are vaccinated against WC but last year it's exactly what my GP thought my kids had. They didn't, but being vaccinated doesn't necessarily protect you. It's important for everyone to be aware of that. I worry when WC is around regardless.