Mention of whooping cough often harkens to an earlier era. The illness, officially called pertussis, was once a scourge that killed many children. Today, it can be treated with antibiotics although it can still be life-threatening to infants who are developing muscles and air passageways.

That is why public health officials are concerned about a recent doubling of the number of cases of whooping cough in Maine. Typically, the state has between 20 and 30 cases of the highly contagious bacterial infections, which primarily afflict school-age children. There have been 50 reported cases in the last three months. There has been an upsurge in cases across the state, but especially large clusters in Piscataquis, Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties. Most cases have been tracked back to day care centers.

The increase is avoidable because there is a vaccine against pertussis, which is characterized by severe spasm-like coughing lasting up to

10 minutes, culminating in a whoop sound. The vaccination, which is given in five stages, is required for children enrolled in public schools, although a waiver can be granted based on philosophical or religious grounds.

There are competing statistics on national vaccination rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s National Immunization Survey, which assesses the vaccination rates of 2-year-olds, Maine is above the national average for pertussis shots. However, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, also issued by the CDC, found Maine’s whooping cough vaccination rate for children entering school to be well below the national average.

Given the serious health consequences of the current outbreak, it is clear that the vaccination series, given at ages 2, 4, 6 and 18 months, plus a booster between the ages of 4 and 6, is well worth it. Fears that childhood vaccinations have led to increases in autism cases have been dispelled by recent studies. A recent Danish study found no link between a rise in autism and the mercury preservative once used in vaccinations and phased out in the United States beginning in 1999.

This time of year, children should be whooping at the excitement of sporting events or the fun of spying goblins on front porches, not because they are sick.