Premium
TWO EPIDEMICS OF WHOOPING COUGH IN FINLAND 1976–1977; age and vaccination of the patients, DPT vaccination rate in children in the epidemic areas, home exposure attack rates and symptomless bacteria carriers.
Author(s) -
Riitta Huovila
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1982.tb09615.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vaccination , whooping cough , bordetella pertussis , pediatrics , booster dose , pertussis vaccine , booster (rocketry) , immunology , immunization , antibody , genetics , physics , astronomy , biology , bacteria
During a whooping cough epidemic in the region of Alavus and Töysä in 1976–1977 Bordetella pertussis strains were isolated from 51/121 (42%) patients showing symptoms of respiratory tract infection. Of these patients, 49 were children and two were adults. Among the children 42/49 (86%) were of school‐age. Vaccination was incomplete in 46 children. Of the children in this region 2.1% were unvaccinated. Basic DPT vaccination was incomplete in 6.2% and booster vaccination was lacking in 73.7% of children±4 years of age. In 1977, 40/71(56%) of the suspected whooping cough patients in Soukka were found to be culture‐positive. Thirty patients were children and 10 were parents of these. 20/30 (66.7%) children were incompletely and 10/30(33.3%) completely vaccinated. The children given complete basic vaccination fell ill one year, those given also booster vaccination 2–3 years after the last injection. Of the children in Soukka 0.7% were unvaccinated. Basic DPT vaccination was incomplete in 2.9% and DPT booster vaccination was lacking in 38.8% of children±3 years of age. Among those exposed in the home 16/58(28%) children and 80/102(78%) adults remained healthy. Two children and two adults were symptomless bacteria carriers. Whooping cough in children of pre‐school age is accounted for by lack of DPT booster vaccination. In addition, the pertussis vaccine used before 1976 gave protection of short duration against whooping cough.