Predictors of severity of pertussis

Abstract

Journal of Paediatrics and Child HealthVolume 51, Issue 10 p. 1044-1044 Heads UpFree Access Predictors of severity of pertussis First published: 01 October 2015 https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13004 edited by Craig Mellis ([email protected]) AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Pertussis continues to cause large epidemics every 3–4 years even in countries like Australia with high levels of childhood immunisation. A multicentre Australian study classified the severity of illness in children admitted to hospital with pertussis during a 2009–2010 pertussis outbreak, using a simple novel clinical scoring system.1 The study enrolled 120 children up to 17 years old, of whom 46 (38.3%) were classified as having severe disease. Logistic regression analysis identified the variables significantly associated with severe pertussis as age <2 months, co-infection with a virus such as rhinovirus or respiratory syncytial virus or with a bacterium, fever >37.5°C (which may be a surrogate for co-infection as pertussis is usually afebrile) and a history of prematurity <37 weeks' gestation. A third of children > 2 months old had not received any pertussis vaccine, but in this study immunisation status did not predict severity, which may be because a single dose of vaccine provides little protection. Strategies that might protect the most vulnerable infants <2 months old include maternal immunisation in late pregnancy and reverting to whole cell pertussis vaccine, at least for the first dose. Reference 1Marshall H, Clarke M, Rasiah K et al. Predictors of disease severity in children hospitalized for pertussis during an epidemic. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2015; 34: 339– 345. Reviewer: David Isaacs, [email protected], Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Volume51, Issue10October 2015Pages 1044-1044 ReferencesRelatedInformation