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Pertussis control: time for something new?
Thomas A Clark1, Nancy E Messonnier, Stephen C Hadler
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Bacterial Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop C-25, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tnc4@cdc.gov
Insights
Waning immunity from childhood acellular pertussis vaccines may be causing a resurgence in pertussis cases. New prevention strategies are needed to address this public health concern.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Vaccinology
- Immunology
Background:
- Childhood acellular pertussis vaccines were introduced in the U.S. in the 1990s to enhance safety over whole-cell vaccines.
- Despite improved safety, concerns exist regarding the duration of immunity conferred by acellular pertussis vaccines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of waning immunity from acellular pertussis vaccines in the recent increase of pertussis (whooping cough) cases.
- To highlight the need for updated pertussis prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of existing literature and epidemiological data on pertussis incidence and vaccine effectiveness.
- Analysis of trends in pertussis cases following the widespread adoption of acellular vaccines.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests that immunity wanes over time following vaccination with current acellular pertussis vaccines.
- This waning immunity may contribute to the observed resurgence of pertussis in vaccinated populations.
Conclusions:
- The findings underscore a potential limitation of current acellular pertussis vaccines regarding long-term protection.
- There is a critical need to explore and implement novel strategies for pertussis prevention to combat the ongoing disease resurgence.
Abstract:
Childhood acellular pertussis vaccines were licensed and implemented in the US in the 1990s following an effort to improve on the safety profile of whole-cell vaccines. However, waning of immunity from acellular vaccines may be driving the recent resurgence of pertussis, raising the need to consider new prevention strategies.
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