NAC441A.630. Pertussis.

     1. The health authority shall investigate each report of a case having pertussis to confirm the diagnosis, to determine the extent of any outbreak, to identify any susceptible contacts, to identify the source of the infection and to determine the need for exclusion, immunization and antimicrobial prophylaxis.

     2. A case having pertussis must be excluded from child care facilities, schools, sporting events sponsored by schools, sensitive occupations, public gatherings, and from contact with susceptible persons not residing in the same household as the case for 21 days after the date of onset of the illness or for 5 days after the date of initiation of medical treatment specific for pertussis as set forth in “Recommended Antimicrobial Agents for the Treatment and Postexposure Prophylaxis of Pertussis: 2005 CDC Guidelines,” adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 441A.200.

     3. A contact who is less than 7 years of age and is inadequately immunized against pertussis and who resides in the same household as a case having pertussis must be excluded from schools, child care facilities, sporting events sponsored by schools, public gatherings, and from contact with susceptible persons not residing in the same household for 21 days after the last exposure or until the case and the contact have received at least 5 days of appropriate antimicrobial therapy or prophylaxis specific for pertussis as set forth in “Recommended Antimicrobial Agents for the Treatment and Postexposure Prophylaxis of Pertussis: 2005 CDC Guidelines,” adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 441A.200.

     4. The health authority shall, as soon as possible after exposure, offer immunization to a susceptible contact of a case having pertussis who is less than 7 years of age and who has not received 4 doses of a pertussis-containing vaccine or has not received a dose of a pertussis-containing vaccine within the 3 years preceding exposure.

     5. If the health authority determines that there is an outbreak of pertussis, the health authority may exclude children who are susceptible to pertussis from attending a school or child care facility in an effort to control the outbreak.

     6. The health authority shall recommend antimicrobial prophylaxis consisting of an appropriate course of an effective antimicrobial agent in accordance with “Recommended Antimicrobial Agents for the Treatment and Postexposure Prophylaxis of Pertussis: 2005 CDC Guidelines,” adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 441A.200.

     7. If a case having pertussis is in a medical facility, the medical facility shall provide care to the case in accordance with respiratory isolation or the appropriate disease specific precautions.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health, eff. 1-24-92; A by R087-08, 1-13-2011)