Pertussis spikes raise questions about adult vaccination
Published: 8th October 2024
Overview
- Recent surges in whooping cough cases have underscored the critical need for increased awareness and vaccination efforts targeting adults.
- Although pertussis complications are severe in infants, adults can also experience significant morbidity and mortality.
- Adults with pre-existing conditions face a higher risk of hospitalisation compared to those without such conditions.
- Acellular pertussis vaccines are approximately 85% effective in preventing pertussis, however, immunity wanes over time, making regular booster doses important.
- Pertussis-containing vaccines are available and are recommended for routine vaccination in infants, children, adolescents, and adults in special risk groups.
- Increased awareness and proactive GP engagement are needed to improve vaccination rates and address reasons for vaccine hesitancy.
Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis epidemics usually occur every 3–4 years in Australia.1 However, recent surges in pertussis cases in Queensland and New South Wales have illuminated a critical public health issue: the need for increased pertussis awareness and vaccination efforts targeting adults. Although the most serious complications from pertussis usually occur in infants <6 months of age, who are too young to be fully immunised, unvaccinated adults are at risk of serious infection as well.1 In 2019, 40% of pertussis cases reported in Australia were adults.2
