PCPH News and Health Alerts
03/07/2025
Whooping Cough Continues Wyoming Spread
Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) officials are concerned with the continued active, current spread of pertussis (whooping cough) across the state.
Clay Van Houten, infectious disease epidemiology unit manager with WDH, said there have been 30 confirmed pertussis cases in Wyoming so far this year. “While roughly two-thirds of the reported cases have been among Sheridan County residents, pertussis has also been identified in eight other counties to date,” Van Houten said.
Van Houten noted there were 19 reported Wyoming cases in 2024, 0 in 2023 and 2 in 2022. “The sharp increase in reports we started seeing in late 2024, which has continued through this year’s early months, is significant and is concerning,” Van Houten said.
Actual case numbers are likely higher because many illnesses are not recognized as pertussis and others may not be reported. Pertussis typically begins with cold-like symptoms and perhaps a mild cough. Pertussis is often not suspected or diagnosed until a persistent cough with spasms sets in after one to two weeks. Infants and children can cough violently and rapidly with a loud "whooping" sound.
Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with WDH, said “More than half of infants less than 1 year of age who become ill with pertussis need to be hospitalized and we know, in some cases, it can be deadly for these babies. Infants are simply more vulnerable and don’t yet have the protection pertussis vaccines offer.”
Harrist said the Tdap adolescent/adult pertussis booster vaccine is especially important for those spending time with new infants such as parents, grandparents and other people who take care of them. “Also, if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, you should talk to your doctor about a Tdap vaccine because that can also help protect newborns,” she said.
Harrist recommends in general all residents stay up to date with pertussis vaccines as those who still become ill with pertussis after vaccination are less likely to have a severe experience. “In addition, people should consider seeing a medical professional for antibiotics if they have symptoms consistent with pertussis,” she said.
More information about pertussis can be found online at https://health.wyo.gov/
03/04/2025
MMR Booster Information for adults or those who are unsure of their vaccine status
Dear County Health Officers and County Nurse Managers,
With the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is starting to get questions from adults about whether they need booster doses or measles titers. The following information is WDH’s recommendations for these situations. Please note that these are recommendations for the general public and that healthcare personnel may still need titers or additional doses of MMR per their employer’s protocol.
The following adults are considered to have immunity against measles:
- Adults who are not at higher risk (see below) who have written documentation that they have received at least one dose of a live measles-containing vaccine on or after their first birthday
- Adults at higher risk (students at post-high school educational institutions, healthcare personnel, international travelers) who have written documentation that they have received at least two doses of a live measles-containing vaccine, separated by at least 28 days, with the first dose having been received on or after their first birthday
- Adults with laboratory evidence of immunity or laboratory confirmation of disease
- Adults born prior to 1957
Please note that this applies to adults who have received LIVE vaccine. People who were vaccinated prior to 1968 with either inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type should be revaccinated with at least one dose of live attenuated measles vaccine. This recommendation is intended to protect those who may have received killed measles vaccine, which was available in 1963-1967 and was not effective. Any doses administered in 1968 or later can be considered live vaccine doses.
Persons born before 1957 are presumed to be immune, but the ACIP states that these individuals can opt to receive one or two doses of MMR vaccine (spaced at least 28 days apart) if they wish to do so, as long as they have no contraindications.
Probably the most likely scenario we will run into is that adults will not have or be able to obtain written documentation of vaccination, disease, or immunity. There is no contraindication to administering additional doses of MMR vaccine to those who may have been previously vaccinated or who previously had infection.
The following are WDH’s recommendations for adults seeking information on whether they need titers checked or additional MMR vaccination:
- If adults have evidence of immunity as defined above, they are immune and do not need titers checked or additional doses of MMR vaccine.
- If an adult with a history of one MMR vaccine is moving from a lower risk category to a higher risk category (such as planning international travel), they should receive a second dose of MMR vaccine as long as it has been at least 28 days since their first dose
- If an adult born before 1957 chooses to receive additional doses of MMR vaccine, they can be offered one or two doses of MMR (spaced at least 28 days apart) if there are no contraindications
- If an adult has documentation of measles-containing vaccine prior to 1968 and the vaccine administered was either inactivated or of unknown type, they should be offered one or two doses of MMR vaccine depending on risk category or desire of the patient
- If an adult does not have documentation of immunity as defined above, they should be offered one or two doses of MMR vaccine depending on risk category or desire of the patient
Adults in the last three categories may ask about having titers checked before receiving vaccine. While this is acceptable, it requires a blood draw and a delay before receiving vaccine if they are not immune. We recommend that adults in the latter three categories be offered MMR vaccine as the preferred option. That way, there is no delay and they do not have to come back if they are not immune. There is no contraindiction to receiving MMR even if an adult is already immune. If adults would prefer to have titers checked prior to receiving vaccine, titers can be sent to the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory (WPHL) by ordering through the Laboratory Web Portal. WPHL charges $6.00 for a measles titer and $24.00 for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella titers.
Additional guidance from the ACIP and CDC can be found at the following links:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
02/14/2025 Wyoming’s First Human Bird Flu Case Confirmed
Wyoming’s first case of H5N1 avian influenza in a human has been confirmed in a Platte County older adult, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). The woman represents the third confirmed hospitalization related to H5N1 in the United States.
“While this is a significant development as bird flu activity is monitored in Wyoming and across the country, it is not something we believe requires a high level of concern among most Wyoming residents,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health.
Harrist said the woman is hospitalized in another state, has health conditions that can make people more vulnerable to illness, and was likely exposed to the virus through direct contact with an infected poultry flock at her home. H5N1 has been known to be infecting wild birds in Wyoming for some time now with the currently circulating virus spreading nationally since 2022. Infections among poultry and dairy cattle have also occurred previously in Wyoming.
“Experts continue to track the spread of H5N1 through wild birds, poultry and dairy cattle across the country. A small number of people have also been infected. Most of those confirmed cases involved on-the-job close contact with poultry or cattle and mild symptoms,” Harrist said. “Unfortunately, this patient’s experience has been much more serious.”
“We want to remind people there has been no documented human-to-human virus transmission of this virus in the United States so far,” Harrist said. “Our staff has followed up with other people who had contact with the flock and the patient, and will continue working with state and national experts to monitor the situation carefully for Wyoming.”
Harrist noted the current public health risk is low, but there are some common-sense steps people may consider to help protect themselves and their families:
· Do not eat uncooked or undercooked food; cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
· Avoid direct contact with wild birds.
· Avoid contact with wild or domestic birds that appear ill or have died. If symptoms are observed in birds, immediately contact a veterinarian, or report sick domestic birds to the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307-777-8270. If contact with the sick or dead birds is necessary, use of personal protection clothing and items is strongly recommended.
· Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with cattle and materials potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with bird flu.
· Do not eat or drink raw milk or products made with raw milk.
Sick or dead wild birds may be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) by calling 307-745-5865, reporting online at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/7d0c547b8fa54eaca73f7eb37d06315a or contacting the nearest WGFD regional office.
The test result was confirmed this afternoon by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory.
More information about bird flu is available from the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/index.html. More specific recommendations for people who have poultry are available from CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/groups/index.html.