In recent months, several European countries, including our country, have recorded an increase in the number of pertussis cases compared to previous years (Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Montenegro, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Serbia).
The increase in reported cases whooping cough possibly linked to untimely immunization of certain age groups, as well as lower circulation of the pathogen during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the data available from the ECDC, the most affected age groups are children, young adolescents, and infants who have not completed their vaccinations.
In Greece since the beginning of the year 2024 they have been registered 34 cases of whooping cough, while in the year 2023 9 cases were reported. Among the cases are included 17 children and teenagers, of which 6 concern infants under the age of one year while one newborn ended up.
Pertussis is an endemic disease worldwide with outbreaks occurring every three to five years, even in areas with high vaccination coverage. Infants are at greatest risk of serious illness and death, and almost all deaths in European countries have occurred in infants under three months of age.
Protecting infants from serious illness and death from whooping cough is one of the main goals of vaccination programs. Timely vaccination, from the 2nd month of life according to the National Immunization Program (NIP), and the completion of vaccination with all the required doses of vaccines for children and adults according to the NIP is a basic measure of whooping cough prevention.
Particular emphasis should be placed on the vaccination of all pregnant women (in every pregnancy and preferably from the 27th to the 36th week of pregnancy) as well as those who were not vaccinated during pregnancy. Early is also recommended vaccination of all family members who come into contact with newborns and infants (at least two weeks before contact) regardless of previous illness or vaccination.
The vigilance of health professionals (especially pediatricians, neonatologists, obstetricians-gynecologists, general practitioners, pathologists, pulmonologists), increased clinical suspicion (especially in adults with persistent paroxysmal cough, even without other symptoms), laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis is imperative of whooping cough as well as the timely initiation of appropriate treatment. It is a reminder that all people who have been in contact with a case of whooping cough need antimicrobial treatment regardless of previous illness or vaccination.
THE EODY as the competent body for the epidemiological surveillance of whooping cough and the protection of Public Health, systematically records the cases of the disease and points out the need to comply with the recommendations of the National Immunization Committee, as they are included in the National Immunization Program.
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