In a large, national study, a pertussis or whooping cough booster has been shown to be more than 90% effective at preventing pertussis in adolescents and adults.
Pertussis is on the rise. In the 1990’s, the number of cases among teenagers and adults more than doubled. In 2004 there were about 6,500 cases reported in teenagers, and 2,200 cases in infants less than six months old. In adolescents and adults the disease can be mild, but it can also cause pneumonia, broken ribs, and cough and illness for months. In infants, it can cause more serious illness and death from complications. The disease is not very treatable with antibiotics; once the disease is identified, antibiotics can make it less contagious but the damage to the lungs is already done, and it takes months for the lungs to heal.
Two new booster shots for pertussis were approved earlier this year, and in June it became a universal, standard recommendation for all teenagers to receive the vaccine, replacing the old Td (tetanus) booster. The vaccine will likely be recommended in adults as well. In the study, the vaccine was also shown to be safe and there were few side effects.
Hopefully, with an effective, safe vaccine, we can reduce pertussis in adults, teenagers, and infants as well. However, it may be difficult to get teenagers and adults vaccinated, and insurance companies may not be willing to cover the cost of the vaccine, as is the case with many new vaccines and other therapies.
