The effectiveness of whole-cell pertussis vaccines

The acellular pertussis vaccine efficacy trials revealed significant facts concerning the whole cell vaccines used as controls. At least three whole-cell vaccines were shown to have considerable efficacy, and in fact superior efficacy to the acellular vaccines to which they were compared. One whole-cell vaccine, previously shown to be poorly immunogenic after three doses, was correspondingly low in protective efficacy. Although acellular vaccines may be preferred in some countries because of their lower reactogenicity, we are faced with the fact that a well-prepared whole-cell vaccine still provides the best protection against pertussis.