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[Pertussis in year 2000]
1Zakład Epidemiologii Państwowego Zakładu Higieny ul. Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warszawa.
Insights
Pertussis (whooping cough) is reemerging in Poland, with increased cases in older children. This suggests waning immunity necessitates booster vaccinations for sustained protection.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Context:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) reemerged in Poland, with epidemic levels observed in 1997/1998.
- A subsequent increase in pertussis morbidity was noted in 2000, with 2,269 cases reported (incidence 5.9/100,000).
- The majority of cases occurred in the 10-14 age group, indicating a shift in the typical age of infection.
Purpose:
- To analyze the epidemiological trends of pertussis in Poland.
- To identify shifts in the age distribution of pertussis cases.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current vaccination strategies and inform public health policy.
Summary:
- The incidence of pertussis in Poland has shown a sustained increase, particularly affecting older children (10-14 years).
- Higher case rates were observed in females and urban populations compared to males and rural areas.
- Discrepancies in reported cases suggest potential underreporting and surveillance sensitivity issues across different regions.
Impact:
- The findings highlight a critical need to reassess and potentially modify the pertussis vaccination schedule in Poland.
- Booster vaccinations around age 5 are recommended to enhance immunity in older age groups and mitigate the reemergence of pertussis.
- Improved surveillance sensitivity is crucial for accurate monitoring of pertussis trends and effective public health interventions.
Abstract:
Reemergence of pertussis in a form of epidemic was observed in Poland in 1997/1998. After some decrease of incidence in 1999, year 2000 brought another increase in pertussis morbidity (2,269 cases; incidence 5.9/100,000), most of them in the older age group of 10-14. It indicates rather sustained trend of increased incidence and shift in the age of infected. It may be due to decrease of immunity with age. According to the vaccination calendar in Poland, last pertussis vaccination is given before the age of two. More cases occurred among females (6.3/100,000) than among males (5.4/100,000) and in urban areas (7.8/100,000) than in the rural ones (2.8/100,000). Big differences in numbers of cases reported between different districts and between urban and rural populations bring strong possibility of insufficient sensitivity of the surveillance in many regions of Poland. It is concluded that increase of pertussis incidence in Poland, causes urgent need of additional vaccination in the age of 5 to secure protection for the older age groups.