Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105275

Kathleen A. Ritger, MD, MPH¹, Jonathan Yoder, MSW, MPH², Stephanie M. Borchardt, MPH, PhD², Dorian Robinson², Georgeen O. Polyak, PhD³, and Mark S. Dworkin, MD, MPH&TM⁴. (1) Illinois Department of Public Health/Division of Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control Epidemic Intelligence Service, 160 N. LaSalle St., 7th Floor South, Chicago, IL 60601, 312-814-4846, kritger@idph.state.il.us, (2) Illinois Department of Public Health, 160 N. LaSalle St., 7th Floor South, Chicago, IL 60601, (3) Village of Oak Park Department of Public Health, 123 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302, (4) Division of Infectious Diseases, Illinois Department of Public Health, 160 N. LaSalle, #7 South, Chicago, IL 60601

Background: In 2004, substantial increases in pertussis cases were reported in the majority of areas in the United States, especially among adolescents. Adolescents aged 10–19 years accounted for approximately 45% of the cases reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) during 2004. A pertussis outbreak, primarily among adolescents, occurred in the suburban Chicago community of Oak Park. IDPH assisted with outbreak management and examined characteristics of the adolescent cases. Methods: Case-patients were residents of Oak Park, Illinois, aged 10–19 years, with cough lasting ≥14 days without other apparent cause and onset during June–September 30, 2004. Local health department personnel interviewed case-patients and their parents. Case report forms were examined for presence of pertussis symptoms, school attendance, and number of doses of pertussis-containing vaccine. Results: Thirty-seven cases were identified. Of 31 case-patients with available information, 31 (100%) reported paroxysmal cough, 18 (58%), posttussive vomiting, and 16 (52%), inspiratory whoop. A limited number reported apnea (10%) or cyanosis (3%). The majority (26/37 [70%]) reported attending the local public high school. The remainder reported attendance at three middle schools, two elementary schools, and one private high school. Vaccination information was available for 34 case-patients; 33 (97%) reported receipt of ≥3 doses of pertussis-containing vaccine. Conclusions: Pertussis vaccine coverage was substantial among case-patients, indicating that waning immunity might account for the substantial incidence of pertussis among adolescents and supporting the need for a booster vaccine for this population.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least two possible reasons for the increased incidence of pertussis among adolescents.
• Describe typical pertussis symptoms and how they differ between infants and adolescents.
• Discuss the concept of pertussis vaccine waning immunity and how a booster vaccine for adolescents might affect pertussis incidence in this age group.

Keywords: Communicable Disease, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation