BOZEMAN — Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is on the rise in Gallatin County.
"It’s called whooping cough because at a certain phase in the illness, people will cough so hard that they will take a deep inhalation that sounds like a whoop—almost identical to when someone is near drowning, and they come up for air," says Dr. Claire Kenamore, a pediatrician at Billings Clinic Bozeman.
Dr. Kenamore has been a pediatrician for over 27 years, treating some of the individuals most vulnerable to pertussis: babies and children.
"It is so contagious. I have a little toddler in my practice who is not vaccinated, and he caught whooping cough at a park. He was outside. So, it’s extremely contagious," she says.
As of Nov. 12, the Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD) reports 31 confirmed cases of pertussis in the county.
But GCCHD Health Officer Lori Christenson says an uptick can be seen nationwide.
"The United States has recorded over 16,000 cases of pertussis in 2024 so far. This is a significant jump compared to the 3,600 cases reported during the same period last year," says Christenson.
Kenamore says that more and more people are opting out of vaccination. And even more adults are unaware of the necessity for a booster for those already vaccinated—which may explain the sudden increase in illness.
She says, "The vaccine does have a tendency to wean or lessen its effectiveness over 10 years. And so sometimes, at a university for example, people will have a cough and not recognize that they’re carrying pertussis because they’re partially immunized. But that’s a leftover immunization from their middle school shot."
Montana State University also released a press releasedescribing a “wider spread” of pertussis on campus.
If you suspect you or a loved one is affected, don’t worry—it’s treatable.
"While whooping cough can cause serious illness, it’s also important to note that it’s generally treatable with antibiotics, and most people make a full recovery," says Christenson.
For more information on pertussis and where to get treated, visit the Gallatin County Health Department website.
