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Waning immunity to pertussis following 5 doses of DTaP

Sara Y Tartof1, Melissa Lewis, Cynthia Kenyon

  • 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. sara.y.tartof@kp.org

Pediatrics
|March 13, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The risk of pertussis (whooping cough) increases annually after children receive five doses of DTaP vaccine. This waning immunity highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of pertussis risk in vaccinated populations.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, remains a public health concern despite widespread vaccination.
  • Acellular pertussis vaccines (DTaP) are the standard for preventing pertussis in children.
  • Understanding the duration of vaccine-induced immunity is crucial for effective disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the risk of pertussis infection over time in children who have completed the 5-dose DTaP vaccination series.
  • To determine if and how the risk of pertussis changes in the years following the final DTaP dose.

Main Methods:

  • Cohort analysis of children in Minnesota and Oregon born between 1998 and 2003.
  • Integration of immunization records from state Immunization Information Systems with statewide pertussis surveillance data.
  • Calculation of pertussis incidence rates and risk ratios for up to six years post-fifth DTaP dose.

Main Results:

  • Pertussis incidence rates significantly increased each year after the fifth DTaP dose in both states.
  • In Minnesota, rates rose from 15.6/100,000 at year 1 to 138.4/100,000 by year 6.
  • Risk ratios for pertussis also showed a consistent increase over the follow-up period, indicating rising susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • The study demonstrates a steady increase in pertussis risk in the years following completion of the 5-dose DTaP vaccine series.
  • Waning immunity from DTaP vaccines is a likely contributor to this observed increase in risk.
  • Continued surveillance of pertussis burden and vaccine effectiveness is essential as new vaccine cohorts are introduced.
Abstract

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