Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Experimental Human Pneumococcal Carriage
07:47

Experimental Human Pneumococcal Carriage

Published on: February 15, 2013

[Time for booster doses against whooping cough for 10-year-old children]

Rose-Marie Carlsson1, Leif Ekholm, Leif Gothefors

  • 1Smittskyddsinstitutet, Stockholm. rose-marie.carlsson@smi.ki.se

Lakartidningen
|September 28, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Sweden reintroduced acellular pertussis vaccination in 1996, significantly reducing cases. An interim recommendation now includes pertussis boosters for 10-year-olds to maintain immunity.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology
  • Public Health

Context:

  • Sweden's 17-year hiatus from pertussis vaccination ended in 1996 with acellular vaccine introduction.
  • The incidence of notified pertussis has declined tenfold over the past decade.
  • Despite reductions, pertussis remains a concern, particularly for infants, with most cases in older individuals.

Purpose:

  • To evaluate the impact of the 1996 acellular pertussis vaccine introduction in Sweden.
  • To address the ongoing circulation of pertussis and protect vulnerable populations.
  • To inform national vaccination program revisions and interim booster recommendations.

Summary:

  • Acellular pertussis vaccination, reintroduced in Sweden in 1996, has led to a substantial decrease in reported cases.
  • Pertussis is not eliminated, with continued infections in older children and adults, while infants remain at high risk for severe disease.
  • An interim recommendation advises including pertussis in the 10-year school booster to enhance immunity.

Impact:

  • Significant reduction in pertussis incidence following vaccine reintroduction.
  • Ongoing need for pertussis control strategies, including booster doses.
  • Interim recommendation to boost immunity in school-aged children pending a revised national program.

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
Diphtheria01:28

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease01:29

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...
Vaccines01:21

Vaccines

Vaccines are among the most effective tools in preventive medicine, designed to prepare the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. By introducing antigens—substances that the immune system identifies as foreign—vaccines stimulate an adaptive immune response that leads to immunological memory. This immunological memory enables the body to mount a faster and more effective response upon future exposures to the actual pathogen.Vaccines can be categorized based on the type of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV01:26

Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV

Tuberculosis, more commonly referred to as TB, is an infectious disease stemming from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While it primarily impacts the lungs, TB can also affect other body areas. Given its severity and global impact, timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for controlling its spread and improving patient outcomes.
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...