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Published on: February 23, 2014
Outbreak of pertussis in a closed population with a high vaccination rate
P Shvartzman1, T Swartz, T Stopler
1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Insights
A pertussis outbreak occurred in a vaccinated kibbutz population. Despite high vaccination rates, the study suggests the pertussis vaccine provided a protective effect, prompting a review of vaccination recommendations.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreaks can occur even in highly vaccinated populations.
- Understanding pertussis epidemiology is crucial for effective public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a pertussis outbreak on a kibbutz with a high immunization rate.
- To analyze the attack rate, age distribution, and protective effect of the pertussis vaccine.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive epidemiological analysis of 78 pertussis cases in a population of 964.
- Comparison of age distribution and incidence with existing literature and international data.
Main Results:
- An overall attack rate of 36.1% was observed in children aged 4-11 years, all of whom were fully vaccinated.
- The age distribution differed from typical patterns, suggesting local factors influence pertussis epidemiology.
- The pertussis vaccine demonstrated a protective effect across all age groups.
Conclusions:
- Local factors can significantly impact pertussis epidemiology, even in vaccinated communities.
- The pertussis vaccine remains effective in reducing disease severity and incidence.
- Higher pertussis incidence in Israel compared to the US warrants re-evaluation of vaccination recommendations.
Abstract:
An outbreak of pertussis encompassing 78 cases in a population of 964 persons living on kibbutz is described. The attack rate was 36.1% among children aged 4 to 11 years, although all had been fully vaccinated. Female predominance and seasonal incidence conformed with what has been reported in the literature. The age distribution, however, was markedly different from that usually observed, indicating that local factors may influence the epidemiology of whooping cough. Despite the seeming paradox of the disease breaking out in a population with a high immunization rate, our results suggest that the vaccine had a protective effect in all age-groups. The incidence of pertussis in Israel in 1987 was considerably higher than that in the United States for the same year, and raises the question of changing the recommendations for vaccination here.
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