By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) has reported an increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in recent weeks, with 566 reported cases in 93 counties so far in 2025, marking the highest total since 2012.
Many U.S. states and other countries are also experiencing elevated levels of pertussis, according to public health officials.
Pertussis is a bacterial illness that causes severe coughing spells that can last for weeks or even months. While the earliest symptoms of pertussis may resemble those of a common cold, the disease can become life-threatening, particularly for infants.
Dr. Kris Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and associate medical director for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), said that three infant deaths in Kentucky during the past 12 months is a significant number for any year and emphasized the heightened risk for infants.
“When pertussis cases go up, we expect to see cases in the most vulnerable people and that’s really infants,” he stated. “These young infants who died had not been immunized, and their mothers had not been immunized.”
Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent pertussis. The vaccine for children is known as DTaP, while the booster for adolescents and adults is called Tdap. Both DTaP and Tdap provide protection against pertussis, as well as tetanus and diphtheria.
Children generally begin receiving immunizations at 2 months of age, with a series of five doses completed by 4 to 6 years of age.
Bryant stressed the importance of keeping vaccinations up to date.
“When children receive all recommended immunizations on time, our whole community benefits. High childhood vaccination rates help to create community immunity, which offers widespread protection against contagious diseases. By coming together to support immunization programs, our community can ensure that all children get the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong.”
For more information on pertussis, you canvisit the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s whooping cough website, contact your local health department, or speak to your healthcare provider.