Seroepidemiology of Pertussis in 10-15 Years Old Healthy Children in Isparta Province, Turkey

Abstract

Pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory disease, commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than one year of age. Bordetella pertussis continues to circulate even in populations where a high vaccine coverage of infants and children is achieved. Adults are reservoirs for infections in infants, in whom pertussis may be severe and life-threatening. Despite the rising rates of vaccination in our country and all over the world for the past 25 years, the number of pertussis cases among adolescents and adults has been increasing. To decrease the risk of pertussis infection and thus protect adults and adolescents against pertussis, booster doses should be administered to preschool children and adolescents. In order to decide when to administer the booster doses in a country, age-specific seropidemiology of the disease should be known. The aim of this study was to determine the pertussis toxin antibody levels of fully vaccinated healthy children in Isparta, Turkey, aged 10-15 years old. A total of 296 participants, that comprised fully vaccinated 254 healthy elementary-school students aged between 10-15 years (126 male, 128 female) and 42 adults between 18-39 years old (21 male, 21 female) were included in the study with informed consent. The sensitivities of subjects to pertussis were tested by the determination of pertussis toxin IgG levels with the use of commercial ELISA test (Genzyme Virotech, Germany). In our study, the seropositivity rate was found 12.6% (32/254) for 10-15 age group, however all the adult subjects were seronegative. Thus the total seropositivity rate was estimated as 10.8% (32/296). Pertussis toxin IgG seropositivity rate was 12.7% (16/126) for males and 12.5% (16/128) for females, and there was no significant gender difference (p> 0.05). The highest seropositivity rates were detected at 10(th) (23.8%) and 11(th) (19%) years in males, and 12(th) and 14(th) (23.8%) years in females. No seropositivity was detected in individuals over age 15 in our study. Since adults lose their immune protection gained by pertussis vaccination, they start becoming an infection source for infants. Therefore, a booster dose of acellular pertussis vaccine should be considered in preschool period and at ages 14-18. Further studies regarding diagnosis and surveillance of pertussis disease are required, as well as enhancement of vaccination rates.

Recommending immunizations to adolescents in Turkey: a study of the knowledge, attitude, and practices of physicians

“…However, it has been reported that the pertussis-specific anti-pertussis toxin (anti-PT) seropositivity rate is only 12-46% among children aged 10 to 15 years. 27 In another study of patients between 2 and 80 years old, anti-PT IgG antibodies were found to be lowest at 11 years old and highest at 15 years old. 28 The authors suggested that the high levels of anti-PT IgG antibodies detected in 15-year-olds were due to pertussis infection.…”

Bordetella pertussis: Vaccine Coverage and Immune Status among Children Under Five Years Old in Sana’a City, Yemen

“…Pertussis is a major public health problem affecting thousands of infants and children here 8 (significant) in Yemen, as throughout developing countries [22]. Pertussis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and children world-wide, in spite of the availability of a good protective vaccine [3, 23,24]. Yemen introduced universal immunization against pertussis for infants (DPT) in early 70s of the last century, but feedback on the coverage rate of vaccinations and their efficacy in the community have been ignored for a long period.…”

Cross-sectional seroprevalence study of antibody to Bordetella pertussis toxin in western Saudi Arabia: is there a need for a vaccine booster dose for adolescents and young adults?

“…10 In Germany, 26.7% of the studied blood donors had antipertussis toxin IgG (anti-PT IgG) titres that indicate recent exposure. Among Turkish population, Seçkin et al 11 found a seropositivity rate of 12.6% for the group of 10-15 years old, whereas all adult subjects were seronegative. In Tunisia, 12.3% of adolescents (13-18 years) were seropositive with anti-PT IgG antibodies indicative of recent infection/exposure to BP.…”