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Seroepidemiology of pertussis among elementary school children in northern Taiwan

Ching-Chia Kuo1, Yhu-Chering Huang1, Yu-Chia Hsieh1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Journal of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection = Wei Mian Yu Gan Ran Za Zhi
|August 31, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Pertussis seroprevalence in Taiwanese elementary students was 33.97%, with higher rates in younger grades. This suggests current immunization programs may not fully protect children against pertussis.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough) is typically a childhood illness but is shifting in age distribution globally.
  • Vaccination is key, but waning immunity and evolving epidemiology necessitate ongoing surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the seroprevalence of pertussis in elementary school children in Taiwan.
  • To assess the impact of the national immunization program on pertussis protection in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • A 2013 seroepidemiological study in Taiwan utilized a multilevel randomized sampling method across 29 districts.
  • Enzyme immunoassay measured pertussis immunoglobulin-G levels in 936 elementary school children from 14 schools.
  • Data on vaccination history, grade level, and demographic factors were collected.

Main Results:

  • Overall pertussis seropositivity was 33.97%, despite 98.89% of participants having received at least three diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine doses.
  • Seropositivity was highest in Grade 1 students (49.36%) and generally decreased with higher grades, with an exception in Grade 6.
  • Younger students (Grades 1-4) showed significantly higher seropositivity compared to older students (Grades 5-6).

Conclusions:

  • Nearly one-third of Taiwanese elementary students exhibit pertussis seropositivity, a finding lower than anticipated.
  • The observed decline in seroprevalence with increasing grade, except for Grade 6, indicates potential gaps in long-term vaccine-induced immunity.
  • The findings raise concerns about the adequacy of the current national immunization program in providing sustained pertussis protection for children.
Abstract

Keywords:
Taiwanchildrenpertussisseroepidemiology

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