Genesis of Antibiotic Resistance: XLI Herd Immunity Mitigates Waning Immunity

Abstract

Based on the observations from the livestock show in the Maverick County, Texas, (MCJLS) (January 2006 to January 2017), and data analysis from the Texas Department of State Health Services, Health and Human Services (TDSHS‐HHS): Pertussis Emerging and Acute Infectious Disease Infectious Disease Control Unit (IDCU) and CDC, a prototype for “Transmission Model” conferring the herd protection (Herd Immunity) in combination with WASH interventions is presented here. Pertussis, a respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough, is a contagious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. The respiratory infection is spread via aerosol (in bacteria‐contaminated air droplets) from an infected person's cough or sneeze. Transmission often occurs from older family members to infants or children. Five doses of the DTaP vaccine, is recommended while protection gained from pertussis vaccines decline over time referred as “waning immunity.” To counter the decrease in immunity, a TDaP vaccine, a booster vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria with limited protection for pertussis. Here we present a hypothesis that immunity acquired through “community living inclusive of herd of livestock” (Herd) by the agrarian community mitigate the waning immunity there by confer the protection from the pertussis despite the observed antibiotic resistance observed across the nation and also emerging trend across the globe. Annually the MCJLS in Eagle Pass, Texas with over 300 youth exhibitors, presenting steers, goats, lambs, Hogs, and also chickens. Our observations and information gathered during the past ten years of the stock show could be best summarized as the proximity and duration of the exposure to the livestock animals and community (model) living represent the “WASH” interventions suggested in the transmission model for “Herd Immunity” (Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2016; 95(5):1201). Based on the Texas ‐ Pertussis Incidence Rates Maps by Year, Maverick County has relatively lowest pertussis incidence. Hypothetically, the scheduled DTap/TDap vaccinations conferred immunity weakens over the period of time would make the HSR8 susceptible for the pertussis which is contrary to the incidence report of TDSHS‐HHS‐IDCU. Furthermore, community living in HSR8 exemplifies the community model conferring cross protection among the agrarian community members, in addition to the protection from the scheduled pertussis immunization in combination with WASH interventions serve as a prototype for “Transmission Model” for “Herd Immunity”Support or Funding InformationSupported by the Professional Development Funds by SWTJC to Subburaj KannanThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.