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Current status of pertussis and pertussis vaccination in Finland
Insights
Finland
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination began in Finland in 1952.
- The incidence of pertussis has significantly decreased since the program's inception.
- School-aged children are the primary demographic affected, often with atypical symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term impact and safety of the pertussis vaccination program in Finland.
- To highlight the diagnostic challenges of atypical pertussis cases.
- To underscore the importance of comparing different pertussis vaccines globally.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of pertussis incidence data since 1952.
- Description of clinical presentation in school-aged children.
- Mention of ELISA for antibody detection (antipertussis IgM and IgA).
Main Results:
- A substantial decrease in pertussis incidence and absence of major epidemics over two decades.
- Atypical pertussis in school-aged children identified as a reservoir for infant transmission.
- ELISA is a valuable diagnostic tool for atypical cases.
Conclusions:
- The pertussis vaccine used in Finland is safe and effective.
- Atypical pertussis cases pose a risk to unvaccinated infants.
- International vaccine comparisons are crucial due to ongoing controversies.
Abstract:
The pertussis vaccination programme was started in Finland in 1952. Since then the incidence of the disease has decreased. No major epidemics have occurred during the last two decades. The majority of the patients with pertussis are children of school age. Their disease is characterized by prolonged cough without whooping and it is difficult to diagnose. The patients with atypical pertussis are, however, the major reservoir for transmission of the disease to young infants, in whom it can be serious. Recently developed ELISA for measuring antipertussis IgM and IgA antibodies is a valuable aid in the diagnosis of these cases. Pertussis vaccination has been a subject of considerable controversy in recent years. The vaccine used in Finland has proved to be safe and effective. This observation emphasizes the need for careful comparison of the vaccines used in different countries.