State health officials say the whooping cough virus did not cause the recent deaths of three children at a central Iowa home for severely disabled kids. Earlier tests indicated all the kids had pertussis, but tests released this afternoon reversed that earlier finding. Over a dozen other residents of the home are sick, and Iowa Department of Public Health director Stephen Gleason says their prognosis appears positive.State epidemiologist Patricia Quinlisk says most of the kids had whooping cough vaccinations as babies, but that’s no help, as the vaccine wears off.The residents in the Children’s Habilitation Center in Johnston have complicated medical problems, and are susceptible to diseases. The common cold virus caused an outbreak this fall which led to the death of four kids.They don’t know what caused the latest deaths.
