Pertussis Cases Hospitalised During The Winter-Fall-Summer Period Of 2010

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Aim: The aim of this study is to present the epidemiological data of pertussis cases that were hospitalised, and monitored in Pediatric Infectious Diseases Ward of our hospital between February, and July 2010. Material and Methods: Nasopharyngeal smears were taken from all 26 patients who were admitted with pertussis- like syndrome between February and July 2010. These specimens were examined for B.pertussis by using RT PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) assay in the laboratory of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology Department. Results: Pertussis PCR was found positive in 12 (46 %) patients. The median age of patients was 7 months, ranging between 40 days and 28 months. Fifty percent (n=6) of these patients was female and the other 50 % (n=6) was male. Most of the patients were admitted on May and June, 2010. The mean leucocyte and lymphosite counts were 17.200±11.700/mm3 (7.200-43.000/mm3 ) and 11.310±9.500/ mm3 (3.200-36.000/mm3 ), respectively. Two patients had CRP values >5 mg/dL. All the remaining patients had normal levels of CRP. Father of 3 patients, mother of 4 patients, both parents of 2 patients and siblings of the 3 patients had a history of cough. An 18-month old patient required mechanical ventilation support for deep apnea. Another 3-month old patient who referred to the emergency department with hemiparesis started 2 weeks after the cessation of treatment, was diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Three patients were not vaccinated with DPT yet, because they were under 2 months old. A single dose of DPT vaccine was applied in 5 patients, 2 doses in 3 patients and 4 doses in 2 patients. Conclusions: Although pertussis vaccination exists in the routine vaccination protocol, whooping cough still remains as an important health problem. In order to protect infants from pertussis, parents, siblings and other individuals who had come in contact with the affected infants must have complete immunity against pertussis.