Pertussis-associated persistent cough in previously vaccinated children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Prolonged cough in school-aged children is a common clinical problem.
• The role of Bordetella pertussis in persistent cough among adolescents requires further investigation.
• Understanding the duration of vaccine-induced immunity is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Bordetella pertussis infection in children and adolescents presenting with a persistent cough.
• To assess the effectiveness and duration of protection offered by acellular pertussis vaccines in this age group.

Main Methods:

• Prospective recruitment of 96 healthy subjects aged 7–17 years with cough lasting 2–8 weeks.
• Collection of nasopharyngeal swabs and oral fluid samples for B. pertussis DNA detection.
• Measurement of anti-pertussis toxin IgG antibody titers to identify recent or past infection.

Main Results:

• Pertussis infection was identified in 18.7% of subjects with prolonged cough.
• A significant proportion of cases (15/18) occurred despite recent or previous booster vaccinations.
• Vaccine protection appeared to wane within 2 to 9 years post-booster, with infections occurring even less than 2 years after the last dose.

Conclusions:

• Bordetella pertussis is a significant cause of persistent cough in school-aged populations.
• Current acellular pertussis vaccines may offer shorter protection duration than previously assumed.
• Non-invasive diagnostic methods are effective in identifying pertussis in prolonged cough cases.