A baby died in the second half of 2023 as a result of whooping cough, as revealed by the Epidemiological Report on the situation of whooping cough in Spain, 2023 from the Carlos III Health Institute, which indicates that the infant did not present risk conditions and his mother had not been vaccinated during pregnancy. According to the latest Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin of the aforementioned organization, since January 1, 2024, a total of 5,242 people have contracted the disease and the number of affected people is expected to continue increasing.
And starting in the second half of 2023 and especially in these first months of 2024, a notable increase in the number of whooping cough cases has been observed in Spain, a phenomenon that has also been reflected in other European countries. Whooping cough is an endemic disease globally and usually manifests itself through epidemic outbreaks every three to five years. The presence of these outbreaks in nations with high vaccination rates, such as Spain, is a phenomenon that has been known for decades, which is partly attributed to the fact that the immunity conferred by vaccines against this disease decreases over time.
Whooping cough is an infectious and highly contagious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis that initially resembles a cold, although it presents a very characteristic cough so intense that the patient needs to take a very forced breath of air that produces a sound. which helps your diagnosis.
It can be especially dangerous and even fatal in the first months of life. Fortunately, vaccination of pregnant women has proven to be highly effective in protecting newborns until they can receive their first dose of the vaccine at two months, significantly helping to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease in this vulnerable group.
Improving pertussis vaccination rates during pregnancy
In the Spanish context, the vaccination schedule against whooping cough includes four doses administered at two, four, eleven months and six years of age, providing effective protection in the first years of life against the most serious forms of the disease. . However, the protection offered by these vaccines is gradually reduced.
Although vaccination rates against pertussis in children in Spain are high, exceeding 95% for the three doses during the first year of life, vaccination during pregnancy has lower coverage, with 87.2% in 2022, for example. which does not reach the objective of optimal coverage.
Despite vaccination efforts and available vaccines, pertussis is not expected to be completely eliminated. However, it is possible to reduce the frequency and severity of the disease, and more importantly, prevent severe cases of whooping cough in the first months of life.
Pregnant women are urged to make sure they receive recommended vaccines, including the pertussis vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation.
Recent media attention on severe cases of whooping cough and the deaths of infants from the disease underscore the need to continue efforts to improve vaccination rates during pregnancy and ensure that all pregnant women receive adequate and comprehensive information about the importance of this vaccination.
The Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPap) supports the statement issued by the Vaccine Advisory Committee (CAV) belonging to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP), urging families to verify and, if necessary, update the schemes vaccination of children and adolescents. In particular and urgently, pregnant women are urged to ensure they receive the recommended vaccines, including the pertussis vaccine between weeks 27 and 36 of gestation, with it being optimal to do so at week 27 or 28.
The AEPap also urges health professionals involved in the care of children and pregnant women to promote the benefits of vaccination and improve access to them in Primary Care centers. It is crucial that health authorities provide these professionals with all the necessary information to facilitate vaccination for those children and pregnant women who have not yet received it. Furthermore, following the recommendations of the CAV of the AEP, the importance of including the pertussis vaccine in the adolescent vaccination schedule is highlighted, specifically at the age of 12 to 14 years.
Source: Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPap)
