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Re-emergence of pertussis: what are the solutions?
Romina Libster1, Kathryn M Edwards
1Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program, Nashville, TN, USA.
Insights
Pertussis, or whooping cough, remains a global threat despite childhood vaccines. New strategies like infant vaccination, boosters, and maternal immunization are crucial for better pertussis control.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Whooping cough (pertussis), caused by Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis, significantly impacts childhood health globally.
- Despite widespread childhood immunization, pertussis causes 50 million cases and 300,000 deaths annually.
- Vulnerable populations include unvaccinated infants, partially vaccinated children, and adults with waning immunity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the rising incidence of pertussis and the need for enhanced vaccination strategies.
- To evaluate the potential impact of various vaccine approaches on pertussis control.
Main Methods:
- Review of current pertussis epidemiology and vaccine-preventable disease trends.
- Discussion of proposed vaccination strategies including newborn vaccination, booster doses, and maternal immunization.
- Assessment of ongoing research into innovative pertussis vaccines.
Main Results:
- Pertussis remains a significant public health concern with high global morbidity and mortality.
- Existing vaccination schedules are insufficient to prevent widespread outbreaks due to waning immunity and susceptible populations.
- Multiple vaccination strategies are under consideration to improve pertussis control.
Conclusions:
- Additional vaccination approaches are essential to combat the resurgence of pertussis.
- Strategies such as vaccinating newborns, providing booster doses, and immunizing pregnant women show promise.
- Continued research into novel vaccines is vital for future pertussis prevention efforts.
Abstract:
Whooping cough, due to Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis, is an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Despite widespread pertussis immunization in childhood, there are an estimated 50 million cases and 300,000 deaths due to pertussis globally each year. Infants who are too young to be vaccinated, children who are partially vaccinated and fully-vaccinated persons with waning immunity are especially vulnerable to disease. Since pertussis is one of the vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise, additional vaccine approaches are needed. These approaches include vaccination of newborns, additional booster doses for older adolescents and adults, and immunization of pregnant women with existing vaccines. Innovative new vaccines are also being studied. Each of these options will be discussed and their potential impact on pertussis control assessed.
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