WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States has seen a concerning surge in pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough cases as students return to school. In 2024, the reported number of cases has exceeded 14,500, a significant increase from the 3,475 cases recorded in 2023.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been issuing warnings for several months about the growing infections among older children and adults, with unvaccinated young children and newborns being at the highest risk for severe illness.
In response to this resurgence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering expediting the development of more effective pertussis vaccines.
An advisory panel is scheduled to convene to discuss potential adult booster trials. The CDC continues to recommend various pertussis vaccinations, including Tdap booster shots for adults every ten years. Despite the concerning rise in whooping cough cases, health officials stress that current disease rates are still relatively low compared to the pre-vaccine era.
This rise in whooping cough cases has been attributed to the adoption of newer vaccines in recent decades, which are reported to be less effective than their predecessors, as per CBS News. While current vaccines for pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus are effective, immunity decreases over time, necessitating booster shots every decade starting in adolescence.
Unfortunately, many teenagers and adults are not receiving these vaccinations, contributing to the increase in cases.
Notably, Pennsylvania has witnessed one of the largest outbreaks this year, particularly among high school students. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has observed that pertussis, previously considered primarily a childhood illness, is now increasingly affecting older adults, possibly due to waning immunity and delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Similar trends have been observed in New York, where 40% of cases outside the city involve teenagers aged 15 to 19. Additionally, Oklahoma has reported a significant increase in cases, with individuals as old as 86 being affected. Wisconsin has also seen a tenfold rise in cases compared to the previous year, with almost half of the current cases occurring in individuals aged 11 to 18.
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