Related Experiment Videos
Pertussis of adults and infants
C H Wirsing von König1, S Halperin, M Riffelmann
1German reference laboratory for pertussis, Krefeld, Germany. wvkoenig@t-online.de
Insights
Bordetella pertussis, or whooping cough, circulates widely, posing risks to infants. Adults are key reservoirs, highlighting the need for adult vaccination to protect vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- * Public Health
- * Infectious Diseases
- * Immunology
Background:
- * Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough) persists despite high infant vaccination rates.
- * Increasing pertussis cases in adolescents and adults are observed globally.
- * Adults serve as a reservoir for transmitting pertussis to vulnerable infants, where it can be severe.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To highlight the significance of pertussis in adolescents and adults.
- * To discuss diagnostic methods and the role of adult vaccination.
- * To inform decisions regarding booster immunisation strategies.
Main Methods:
- * Review of current literature on pertussis epidemiology and transmission.
- * Analysis of clinical features in adolescents and adults.
- * Discussion of laboratory diagnostic techniques (PCR, antibody detection).
Main Results:
- * Prolonged coughing is the primary symptom in adult pertussis cases.
- * Laboratory diagnosis is challenging due to lack of standardization.
- * Acellular pertussis vaccines are safe, immunogenic, and effective for adolescents and adults.
Conclusions:
- * Recognizing pertussis in adults is crucial for diagnosis.
- * Adult vaccination, including boosters and healthcare worker immunization, is recommended.
- * Local data on adult-to-infant pertussis transmission is vital for public health policy decisions.
Abstract:
Bordetella pertussis continues to circulate even in populations where a high vaccine coverage of infants and children is achieved. Cases in adolescents and adults are reported with increasing frequency in many countries. Adults are a reservoir for infections in very young infants, in whom pertussis may be severe and life-threatening. The salient clinical feature of pertussis in adolescents and adults is prolonged coughing, and recognising that pertussis does occur in these age groups is the most important step in its diagnosis. A laboratory diagnosis can be made by bordetella-PCR from nasopharyngeal swabs or secretions and by detection of antibodies, mainly to pertussis toxin; laboratory diagnosis is, however, not well standardised. Vaccination of adolescents and adults is now possible with acellular pertussis vaccines, which are well tolerated, immunogenic, and effective. Adolescent boosters and the vaccination of health-care workers are already included in vaccination calendars in some countries. Vaccine-recommending bodies and national health-care organisations must have locally relevant information on the transmission of pertussis from adults to infants to be able to make decisions on the advisability, feasibility, and priority for booster immunisation against pertussis.