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Transmission of Bordetella pertussis to young infants

Aaron M Wendelboe1, Elisabeth Njamkepo, Antoine Bourillon

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7435, USA.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|April 7, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Household members, primarily parents, are the main source of pertussis (whooping cough) for infants. Adult and adolescent vaccination is key to reducing infant pertussis cases.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination has significantly reduced cases in industrialized nations.
  • The impact of adult and adolescent vaccination on infant pertussis relies on transmission dynamics from these age groups.
  • Identifying the source of infant pertussis remains a challenge, with 47%-60% of cases having an undetermined source.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the proportion of infant pertussis cases originating from adults and adolescents.
  • To identify the relationship and characteristics of the primary source cases for infant pertussis.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective international multicenter study involved laboratory-confirmed infant pertussis cases (
  • Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, including PCR and serology, were performed on all participants, regardless of symptoms.
  • Source cases were identified and characterized by their relationship to the infant, age, and household status.

Main Results:

  • The source of pertussis was identified for 48% of infants in the primary analysis (up to 78% in sensitivity analyses).
  • Parents were the most common source (55%), followed by siblings (16%), and other family members/contacts.
  • Household members accounted for 76%-83% of identified pertussis transmissions to infants.

Conclusions:

  • Household members are the primary source of Bordetella pertussis transmission to infants.
  • Vaccinating adolescents and adults in close proximity to infants could substantially decrease infant pertussis if high vaccination coverage is achieved.
Abstract

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