The interdisciplinary Meeting of Experts’s Resolution «Unresolved Questions of Pertussis Epidemiology in the Russian Federation and the New Possibilities for Vaccination»

Key Russian experts representing applied medicine, scientific and educational organizations related to the vaccination hold the meeting on June 13 in Moscow. The main issue of the agenda was the discussion of the new approaches to vaccination of pertussis. It was noted that it is still a topical question for public health worldwide including Russia. The experts comprised the list of the unresolved questions related to pertussis surveillance and prevention. The most important fact is a continuing spread of pertussis due to the decrease of immune response 5–7 years after any type of pertussis vaccine, and a growing number of the people who have not suffered from pertussis before. Increase of pertussis incidence among one year old children as well as schoolchildren and adults attests for the circulation of pathogen and continuous spread of the disease. This makes necessary an introduction of additional pertussis vaccination boosters. The data of epidemiological surveillance in the countries which already introduced the second booster against pertussis for 4–7 year old children (more than 50 countries) shows essential epidemiological effect and decrease of pertussis incidence at the age from 4 to 10 years old, and has already demonstrated indirect protection for one year old children. The experts made final recommendations for Russia regarding the improvement of pertussis surveillance on regional and federal levels. Certain possible strategies of anti-pertussis vaccination were offered in accordance with the developing vaccines and technologies.