Whooping cough grows resistant

Dayton, Ohio (WDTN) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say researchers have discovered the first US cases of whooping cough caused by a germ that may be resistant to the vaccine.

In a report in the New England Journal of Medicine due out Thursday,Feb 7, states the whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that can strike people of any age but is most dangerous to children.

It was once common, but cases in the US dropped after a vaccine was introduced in the 1940's.

Officials at the CDC are looking into whether cases, like the dozen found in Philadelphia, might be one reason the nation just had its worst year for whooping cough in six decades.

Last year, the CDC received over 41,000 reports of cases that included 18 deaths.

Officials say an increase in illnesses in recent years has been partially blamed on a version of the vaccine used since the 1990's  which doesn't last as long.

The new study suggests that the new whooping cough strain may be why more people have been getting sick.

Experts don't think it's more deadly, but the shots may not work as well against it.