Whooping cough is not an eradicated illness, and health officials want New Mexicans to take precautions.

So far this year, 57 cases of the disease — confirmed and probable — have been reported in New Mexico, 13 more than last year at this time.

Thirteen of the reported cases are in Santa Fe County. Twelve of these were people ages 21 and under, and seven of them were confirmed cases.

No deaths from whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been reported in the last couple of years.

But "we should be aware," said Joan Baumbach, medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health.

A highly infectious respiratory-tract illness, pertussis is more likely to kill children under 4 months of age. It is caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis and occurs year-round. In New Mexico, there were 84 cases reported in 2008 and 94 in 2009.

Whooping cough is not a disease of the past, but adults tend to forget about it because the vaccine can last up to 10 years, Baumbach said. People who have coughs that cannot be associated to something like a cold should be tested. Coughing spasms are the most common sign of pertussis, and they can be so prolonged that a person can break a rib.

"It doesn't go away by itself. It has to be treated," Baumbach said. The earliest outbreaks recorded in the U.S. were in the 1500s, and the first vaccine was developed in the 1930s.

Sometimes doctors, especially younger ones, will miss the diagnosis because they have not seen these cases before, Baumbach said. "Pertussis is always a big deal for us," she said, and parents should make sure their children's vaccines are up to date, especially because school has started and the chances of catching the disease are greater.

The children's whooping cough vaccine is called DTaP, and it's usually a series of five shots; the booster for adolescents and adults is called Tdap, a combined shot with tetanus and diphtheria.

Baumbach said travelers should be vigilant, since several states have reported epidemics. An Associated Press story reported this week that for the past couple of months, California has been fighting a statewide pertussis epidemic. The number of cases is about 3,300.

Peg Luciano, administrative specialist with La Familia Medical Clinic, said this week that the clinic accepts walk-ins for children and adults — even if they're not La Familia patients — who need to update their immunizations. The vaccines are free for children, but there is a $20 administrative fee, Luciano said.

La Familia participates in the statewide Vaccines for Children program, which had a two-week immunization campaign in early August.

"In 2009, we had over 90 percent of our kids on schedule with their vaccinations," Luciano said. For more details about whooping cough, consult with your doctor.

Contact Sandra Baltazar Martínez at 986-3062 or smartinez@sfnewmexican.com.