Pertussis, also known as whooping cough It is spreading again without anyone asking for it. The latest federal data shows cases of vaccine-preventable diseases this year reached their highest level in a decade.
As of December 14, there were 32,085 cases of whooping cough. Reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year. That's a fivefold increase from the number recorded in 2023, when there were only about 6,500 cases. Experts say several factors are to blame. This includes declining vaccination rates.
whooping cough caused by bacteria Bordetella whooping cough– Infections often cause respiratory symptoms. It's especially the cough that gives rise to the nickname (“whooping cough” refers to the sound people often make when trying to breathe after coughing). Although pertussis is generally mild in adults, But the infection may be more severe in young children or vulnerable populations, such as those with weakened immune systems.
At the time the first pertussis vaccine was invented More than a century agoIt was not recommended and widely used until the late 1940s when used in combination with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines. Combination vaccinations have been a mainstay of vaccination programs in the United States ever since. and could greatly reduce the burden of whooping cough, such as before mass vaccination. There are an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 cases of whooping cough. Report annually in the united states
Since 2000, the United States has reported tens of thousands of cases of whooping cough per year. But like other infectious diseases COVID-19 pandemic has indirectly reduced the spread of whooping cough This is partly thanks to people practicing social distancing. Because the world and people's social habits have largely returned to normal. The incidence of these diseases has also increased, so at least part of the number of cases has increased this year. It may just be a return to pre-pandemic trends. According to the CDC–
However, this year's number is unusually high for modern times. This is the highest number of cases since 2014, when there were 32,971 cases, and in some states, experts and public health officials have defect Reduce vaccination rates among residents and their children further.
Another important factor has to do with the vaccine itself. In the United States and other countries People are now using a new, different type of pertussis vaccine. Vaccines are safer than the entire old version There is evidence that overall protection against whooping cough is less immediate and lasting. From this switch Experts have argued Future outbreaks of whooping cough are likely to be more severe as they occur.
However, vaccination remains the most important tool for controlling whooping cough. And the less people who are vaccinated, the less protection they have. The risk of continued outbreaks is even greater around the world, especially in countries with low vaccination coverage. will have whooping cough cause There are 24 million cases per year, along with 161,000 deaths among children under five years of age each year.
In the United States, approximately 80% of children under age 2 have receive Based on recommendations for the complete DTaP vaccination series, 90% of teenagers have received at least one dose of Tdap vaccine, and only 43% of adults over 18 years of age have received Tdap vaccination in the past 10 years (vaccine is recommended stimulation every decade)