Winter ailments — and more — taking hold with multiple illnesses circulating

Cough, cough, cough.

Sniffle, sniffle, sniffle.

Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze.

Those are the sounds of the season this month as respiratory diseases, influenza and other ailments are making the rounds among children and adults.

“We are seeing the usual respiratory viruses: influenza, RSV and COVID. Many of these seasons are just starting, but we usually see an uptick after the holidays when families get together,” said Dr. David Basel, Avera vice president of clinical quality.

It’s not just one illness that’s surfacing; it’s multiple sicknesses, often striking consecutively and making their way through families.

“We’re seeing lots of things; that’s why we’re hearing so much about it,” said Dr. Jennifer Haggar, a pediatrician with Sanford Health. “Sometimes, you have one predominant thing going around, or one illness can move on to another one a week later, and it takes three weeks to cycle through them.”

In her practice, Haggar has seen cases of the rhino enterovirus, which causes respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, although that tends to be mild. A severe but quick gastrointestinal bug is causing vomiting and diarrhea that lasts a day or two. That ailment can be horrible while it lasts, she said.

Cases of walking pneumonia, a milder form of pneumonia characterized by a low fever and a dry cough, are being reported at a higher rate than they have been for several years, Haggar said. It can hit all ages, but typically school-aged children see it most often.

However, during the height of the COVID pandemic, seasonal outbreaks of walking pneumonia skipped a few cycles. Now, it is affecting children all the way through to the elderly.

While new COVID cases have been at a steady rate for a while, Haggar said, influenza numbers are creeping up, and they are expected to rise after the family gatherings that take place in December.

Despite the increase in cases, so far respiratory viruses and the norovirus have not led to a significant increase in hospitalization rates at Sanford, data for the health system shows.

Vaccinations for both the flu and COVID are readily available and can make a significant difference in reducing infection rates, physicians said. In the most current Centers for Disease Control data, influenza A strains ae divided into 62 percent H3N2 and 62 percent H1N1 pdm09. Both strains are included in this year’s influenza vaccine.

Basel said the severity of influenza and COVID can range from that of a common cold all the way to a serious infection if people are very young, elderly or immuno-suppressed.

One ailment that does need close attention: pertussis, also known as whooping cough. It is a highly contagious bacterial infection that is treated with antibiotics.

“We’re currently having a high rate of cases, and it’s a vaccine-preventable disease,” Haggar said. “In the early stages, it’s a mild cough, but it can turn into a severe cough that can last for months. People will cough to the point of vomiting.”

Infants and young children can cough so much they stop breathing, and pertussis also affects older people who are impacted by more severe respiratory ailments. People should check on the status of their vaccinations and whether they should start the series of vaccines or get a booster shot. The vaccine series can start as early as 6 weeks of age.

“There has been a fairly dramatic increase in the amount of pertussis going on — possibly a 100 percent increase in reported cases,” Basel said.

“We’ve certainly been hearing and seeing a lot more it this fall than we have in the past.”

If you have had close contact with someone who has had pertussis and you have a cough that has been lingering on for a week to 10 days that’s not improving, it’s a good idea to see your health care provider, he said.

“If you do have pertussis, there is a treatment with antibiotics in the first three weeks of the disease.”

As a trace illness, when pertussis is reported in local schools, state health officials notify administrators and parents also are informed. That is critical because a diagnosis must be followed by preventative treatment for all family members.

“If one has it, you must treat the entire household completely,” Haggar said.

The virus that local physicians have not seen much of this season? RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, but that typically picks up after the holidays.

“The RSV vaccine is encouraged for the vulnerable populations, including babies and the elderly to protect them from the virus,” Basel said. “We’d really like to encourage pregnant mothers to get the vaccine to provide dual protection and potential for acquired immunity when baby is born. This is available for pregnant mothers during weeks 32 to 36 of their pregnancy.”

The immunizations “significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization,” Haggar said. “For an infant who gets RSV after being protected by the immunization, their risk of hospitalization is reduced by just over 80 percent.”

For adults who receive the RSV vaccination, the risk of hospitalization is reduced by 73 percent. Considering that RSV is a leading cause of hospitalization in both age groups, immunization offers an important layer of protection, Haggar said.

Prevention of common winter ailments can be as simple as washing one’s hands before meals; being cautious about touching the eyes, nose or mouth; not sharing water bottles or utensils; and using an elbow to cover coughs. And, of course, stay home when sick.

“Kids can learn that pretty young,” Haggar said of coughing into an elbow rather than a hand. “It’s an easy way to just protect other people.”