Published online May 2, 2005
PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 5 May 2005, pp. 1422-1427 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2648)

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My File Cabinet Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (47) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cherry, J. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cherry, J. D. Related Collections Infectious Disease & Immunity Related AAP Red Book topics: Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Diphtheria Tetanus (Lockjaw) Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

EXPERIENCE AND REASON

The Epidemiology of Pertussis: A Comparison of the Epidemiology of the Disease Pertussis With the Epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis Infection

James D. Cherry, MD, MSc

From the Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

In the prevaccine era pertussis epidemics followed a cyclic pattern, with peaks every 2 to 5 years. With the marked reduction of pertussis by vaccination, the same cyclic pattern still occurs. Studies relating to reported pertussis and Bordetella pertussis infection have been reviewed and analyzed. The increase in reported pertussis over the last 2 decades is mainly due to a greater awareness of pertussis and perhaps to the use of several less efficacious vaccines.

Studies of prolonged cough illnesses in adolescents and adults reveal that 13% to 20% are a result of B pertussis infection. Serologic studies suggest that the rate of B pertussis infection in adolescents and adults is 2.0% per year. The rate of cough illnesses (pertussis) caused by B pertussis infection in adolescents and adults is between 370 and 1500 per 100 000 population. These data suggest that there are between 800 000 and 3.3 million cases per year in the United States.

The coming availability of adolescent- and adult-formulated diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccines for adolescents and adults and their widespread use should reduce the reservoir of B pertussis disease. It is suggested that a universal program of adolescent and adult boosters would decrease the circulation of B pertussis in these age groups and possibly could lead to the elimination of the organism from the population.

---

Key Words: pertussis • Bordetella pertussis • adult pertussis • adolescent pertussis • pertussis • epidemiology

Abbreviations: DTaP, adolescent- and adult-formulated diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis • ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay • PCR, polymerase chain reaction • PT, pertussis toxin • FHA, filamentous hemagglutinin • PRN, pertactin • FIM, fimbriae • DTP, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis • APERT, adult acellular pertussis vaccine efficacy trial

---

Accepted Feb 7, 2005.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. S. Shah and M. M. Davis Old disease, innovative response: accelerating infant vaccination during a community pertussis outbreak. JAMA, June 3, 2009; 301(21): 2260 - 2261. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Barraclough Chronic cough in adults BMJ, April 24, 2009; 338(apr24_1): b1218 - b1218. [Full Text]

				A. M. Dylag and S. I. Shah Administration of Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine to Parents of High-Risk Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Pediatrics, September 1, 2008; 122(3): e550 - e555. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Sotir, D. L. Cappozzo, D. M. Warshauer, C. E. Schmidt, T. A. Monson, J. L. Berg, J. A. Zastrow, G. W. Gabor, and J. P. Davis A Countywide Outbreak of Pertussis: Initial Transmission in a High School Weight Room With Subsequent Substantial Impact on Adolescents and Adults Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, January 1, 2008; 162(1): 79 - 85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Qin, E. Galanakis, E. T. Martin, and J. A. Englund Multitarget PCR for Diagnosis of Pertussis and Its Clinical Implications J. Clin. Microbiol., February 1, 2007; 45(2): 506 - 511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Brooks and R. Clover Pertussis Infection in the United States: Role for Vaccination of Adolescents and Adults J Am Board Fam Med, November 1, 2006; 19(6): 603 - 611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Committee on Infectious Diseases Prevention of Pertussis Among Adolescents: Recommendations for Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine Pediatrics, March 1, 2006; 117(3): 965 - 978. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Caro, G. Denis, L. Coudeville, and A. Van Rie Pertussis in Adolescents and Adults: Should We Accept the Results? Pediatrics, November 1, 2005; 116(5): 1263 - 1263. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. I. Ward, J. D. Cherry, S.-J. Chang, S. Partridge, H. Lee, J. Treanor, D. P. Greenberg, W. Keitel, S. Barenkamp, D. I. Bernstein, et al. Efficacy of an acellular pertussis vaccine among adolescents and adults. N. Engl. J. Med., October 13, 2005; 353(15): 1555 - 1563. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Brunell Cherry Picking Pediatrics, October 1, 2005; 116(4): 1056 - 1056. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Cherry Cherry Picking: In Reply Pediatrics, October 1, 2005; 116(4): 1056 - 1057. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Cherry Pertussis Vaccines for Adolescents and Adults Pediatrics, September 1, 2005; 116(3): 755 - 756. [Full Text] [PDF]