Tdap: A New Option for Pertussis Booster Vaccination of Seniors

Abstract

Pertussis or whooping cough, caused by Bordetella pertussis, remains a global concern. Following the availability of vaccines against pertussis from the mid-1940s, the reported pertussis incidence rate fell dramatically in countries with high vaccine coverage. However, countries with long-standing high pertussis vaccine coverage have, since the 1980s, increasingly identified pertussis in adolescents and adults. In adults ≥65 years of age, there is less data on morbidity but outbreaks in settings such as residential facilities have been associated with severe morbidity including death. The US FDA approved two different tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines in 2005 for booster vaccination of adolescents and adults, extending usage to adults 18–64 years of age in 2008. Following data demonstrating satisfactory immunogenicity, the FDA approved a single dose of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine for use in adults 65 years or older in July 2011. This review will discuss the available data on the disease burden of pertussis in older adults (≥65 years of age) and the potential need for pertussis vaccination in the USA and comparable countries.