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EDITOR’S NOTE: This an article by local Centers for Disease Control Sentinel Physician Dr. Robert P. Blereau of Morgan City.
A recent study found that vaccinating pregnant women with the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine during their third trimester was nearly 78 percent effective in preventing pertussis in their infants younger than 2 months of age.
The reason for using the Tdap triple-combination vaccine is because no single pertussis vaccine is being manufactured.
Infants younger than one year old are at the highest risk for severe complications of death from pertussis.
Typically, between five and 15 babies die from whooping cough each year in the United States.
Most deaths are in those too young to be protected by getting their own whooping cough vaccine, which begins at two months of age.
Before the pertussis vaccine was introduced in the 1940s, more than 200,000 cases of pertussis were reported in the United States each year.
After the vaccine was introduced, pertussis cases dropped to fewer than 10,000 by 1965 with the lowest number of just over 1,000 reported in 1976.
Starting in the 1980s, however, pertussis cases began to rise again with a peak of more than 48,000 cases in 2012.
That year the Centers for Disease Control began recommending women get a pertussis vaccination during each pregnancy, with a subsequent drop in the number of cases.
So far in 2017, more than 11,000 cases have been reported.
Less than half of pregnant women who delivered infants in the United States between 2015 and 2016 received the Tdap vaccine.
The CDC recommends pregnant patients receive Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy, preferably during gestational weeks 27 through 36, to protect infants from pertussis in their first months of life.
This vaccination timing results in the greatest transfer of protective antibodies from mother to infant and provides the best protection.

Submitted Photos
Dr. Abby Cefalu of the Morgan City Veterinary Hospital, along with her dog, Sousie, visited Holy Cross Elementary School during Community Helpers’ Week. Cefalu talked with the pre-K4 and pre-K3 children about the care of animals in their homes and showed them some of the instruments, including X-rays, used to examine animals in her clinic. Pictured with Sousie and Cefalu are Layla Naquin, Amelie Cefalu, Andrew Aucoin and Andrew Walker.

Submitted Photo
The board of Community Concert Association of Morgan City met recently with Mark Ross, regional representative of the Live on Stage booking company, and chose five artist groups for the 2018-2019 concert season. Several board members previewed the slate of artists at the annual LOS Artists Showcase Conference in Nashville in August. The board meeting was held at the home of President Floyd Cloutier. Attending were, from left: Harry Porter, Doylene Porter, Linda Cooke, G. Gordon Smith, Vince Bernard, Cloutier, Ross, George Ramirez, Suzanne Wiltz, Terri DiMatteo and Geri Bourgeois. Not pictured but attending were Deborah Price, Juanita LaGard, Nell Lamury and Dr. Mary Ellon Allen.

A 32-year-old Morgan City woman was charged with simple battery and booked on drug possession warrants after police responded to a disturbance on Pecos Street, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

—Nicole M. Atkinson, 32, of Keith Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:19 p.m. Monday on a charge of simple battery and on warrants for possession of marijuana, possession of hydrocodone, possession of alprazolam, possession of ondansetron and improper turning.

Patrol officers responded to a home in the area of Pecos Street in regard to a disturbance. Atkinson was identified as one of the people involved. Atkinson allegedly struck the victim, Blair said.

Atkinson was found to hold active warrants stemming from a Sept. 7 investigation when officers observed a vehicle negotiate an improper turn. A stop was initiated and Atkinson was identified.

Atkinson was in possession of suspected marijuana, hydrocodone, alprazolam and ondansetron, Blair said. The investigation continued and arrest warrants were prepared for Atkinson’s arrest. Atkinson was jailed.

Blair reported responding to 35 calls and reported the following arrest:

—Doneyda Canizales-Galeas, 35, of Louisiana Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:08 a.m. Monday on warrants for failure to appear to pay a fine and failure to appear for arraignment.

Canizales-Galeas was located and arrested at the Lafayette Parish Detention Center on active warrants for her arrest held by the 6th Ward and 16th Judicial courts. Canizales-Galeas was jailed.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 44 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:

—Tanya Givins, 40, of North Bayou Black Road in Gibson, was arrested at 8:45 a.m. Monday on charges of speeding and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.

A deputy assigned to patrol Amelia observed a vehicle speeding 38 mph in a posted 25 mph zone on Lake Palourde Road.

The deputy conducted a traffic stop, spoke with the driver, Givins, and found that her license was suspended, Hebert said. Givins was released on a summons to appear in court Jan. 3.

—Nina Butler, 35, of Tall Timbers Street in Patterson, was arrested at 2:45 p.m. Monday on charges of no driver’s license, no motor vehicle insurance and switched license plate.

A deputy responded to a traffic incident in the Patterson area near Cotten Road. The deputy located a vehicle in the median and spoke with the driver, identified as Butler. During the investigation, the deputy found that Butler had no driver’s license, no insurance and that the license plate displayed on the vehicle was not registered to the car she was driving, Hebert said. Butler was released on a summons to appear in court Dec. 1.

—Antonio Collins Jr., 33, of Pluto Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 11:13 p.m. Monday on a charge of criminal trespass.

A deputy responded to a call for service for suspicious vehicle parked at a home on La. 182 in Bayou Vista. The deputy spoke with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Collins.

During the investigation, the deputy found that Collins was trespassing on private property, Hebert said. The deputy transported Collins to parish jail for booking. Collins was then released on $1,000 bail.

—Sheryl Skinner, 54, of Pluto Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 10:37 p.m. Monday on charges of following too closely, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of open alcoholic container in motor vehicle.

A deputy assigned to patrol Bayou Vista observed a vehicle following too closely to another vehicle on La. 182. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, identified as Skinner.

The deputy smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Skinner and her breath, Hebert said. The deputy also observed other signs of impairment and located an open container of alcohol inside the vehicle, the sheriff said. Skinner performed poorly on a field sobriety test. Skinner was booked into parish jail and then released on $3,250 bail.

Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrest:

—Adrian Gonzales, no age or address given, was arrested at 6:01 p.m. Monday on charges of speeding 88 mph in a 45 mph zone and no insurance. Gonzales was released on bail.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.