New Delhi– Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be life-threatening for infants under the age of two, underscoring the critical need for maternal vaccination during pregnancy, according to a new study.
Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory tract that causes violent coughing spells, often followed by a distinctive “whoop” sound during inhalation. While the illness can persist for months in adults and older children, researchers found that symptoms in infants can be much more severe — and often atypical.
“In infants, the characteristic whooping cough may be absent, but apnea, or pauses in breathing, is common,” said lead author Caitlin Li, an infectious diseases specialist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
The study, published in Pediatrics, noted that infants with pertussis may also show extremely high white blood cell counts, a condition known as leukocytosis, which can sometimes be mistaken for cancer or other non-infectious illnesses. Researchers stressed that unusually high white blood cell counts in infants should raise strong suspicion of pertussis.
“Given that infants are at high risk for complications, pertussis vaccination of mothers during pregnancy is critical, as it protects newborns against this potentially fatal illness,” Li said. “Widespread vaccination is also an important tool to protect everyone.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends pertussis vaccination at 2, 4, 6, and 15–18 months, with a booster between 4–6 years of age. An additional booster is advised at 11–12 years, with catch-up doses at 18 years. Importantly, the CDC also calls for universal maternal vaccination during pregnancy — ideally between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation — as the most effective way to prevent pertussis-related deaths in newborns.
Researchers further advised rapid initiation of antibiotics in suspected or confirmed pertussis cases. If given early, antibiotics may ease symptoms; even when started later, treatment can still help reduce transmission. (Source: IANS)
