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The changing age and seasonal profile of pertussis in Canada

Danuta M Skowronski1, Gaston De Serres, Diane MacDonald

  • 1University of British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Epidemiology Services, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 4R4. danuta.skowronski@bccdc.ca

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|May 7, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Pertussis (whooping cough) cases are shifting in Canada. Teenagers now have the highest incidence, while infants show decreased susceptibility, challenging previous trends.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough) historically impacted young children most severely in Canada.
  • The postvaccine era has seen shifts in pertussis epidemiology, particularly during outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the changing age and seasonal profile of pertussis in British Columbia, Canada.
  • To investigate divergent trends in pertussis incidence among different age groups during recent outbreaks.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized population-based data, including laboratory confirmation, hospital separation, and mortality statistics.
  • Examined pertussis incidence across various age groups during successive outbreaks, focusing on a 2000 outbreak.

Main Results:

  • For the first time in Canada, pertussis incidence surpassed among adolescents (preteens and teens) compared to younger children.
  • A simultaneous decrease in pertussis incidence was observed in infants and preschool-aged children, indicating reduced susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • Changes in childhood immunization programs, including acellular pertussis vaccines, may contribute to observed trends.
  • Waning immunity and evolving laboratory diagnostic methods are potential factors influencing the changing pertussis profile.

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