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Pertussis-associated hospitalizations in American Indian and Alaska Native infants

Trudy V Murphy1, Shamsuzzoha B Syed, Robert C Holman

  • 1Office of the Director, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tkm4@cdc.gov

The Journal of Pediatrics
|May 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Pertussis (whooping cough) hospitalizations are high in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants, especially those under 6 months. Vaccination strategies are crucial to reduce this disease burden in AI/AN populations.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, poses a significant health risk to infants.
  • American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations may experience unique health burdens due to various factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the burden of pertussis-associated hospitalizations among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants.
  • To identify specific age groups and geographic regions with the highest hospitalization rates.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Indian Health Service (IHS)/tribal inpatient data to analyze AI/AN pertussis-associated hospitalizations from 1980 to 2004.
  • Calculated average annual hospitalization rates per 100,000 AI/AN infants, comparing rates for infants under 6 months and the general US infant population.

Main Results:

  • Documented 483 pertussis-associated hospitalizations in AI/AN infants between 1980 and 2004, with 88% involving infants younger than 6 months.
  • The average annual hospitalization rate was 132.7 per 100,000 AI/AN infants, significantly higher for those under 6 months (234.5 per 100,000).
  • Rates from 2000-2004 (100.5 per 100,000) exceeded the general US infant rate (67.7 per 100,000), with highest rates in Alaska and Southwestern IHS regions.

Conclusions:

  • The burden of pertussis is substantial in AI/AN infants, particularly those under 6 months.
  • Infants in the Alaska and Southwestern IHS regions face the highest risk.
  • Implementing comprehensive vaccination strategies for all age groups within AI/AN communities is essential to mitigate pertussis incidence.
Abstract

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