2024-06-11 18:15:00
The EODY is sounding the alarm for a rise in whooping cough circumstances in Greece as properly, as is already taking place in different European nations, stressing the necessity for rapid vaccination of inhabitants teams, in order that they’re protected.
In Greece this 12 months, 2 youngsters below the age of two have misplaced their lives, whereas three different youngsters needed to be hospitalized within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The EODY announcement states:
“In current months, a number of nations in Europe, together with our nation, have recorded a rise within the variety of whooping cough circumstances in comparison with earlier years (Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Montenegro, United Kingdom , Switzerland, Serbia). The rise in reported pertussis circumstances might be linked to the premature immunization of sure age teams in addition to the decrease circulation of the pathogen through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In keeping with the info out there from the ECDC, probably the most affected age teams are youngsters, younger adolescents and infants who haven’t been vaccinated or haven’t accomplished their vaccination. In Greece, from the start of the 12 months 2024 till 30.05.2024, 230 circumstances of whooping cough have been reported to EODY, whereas within the 12 months 2023, 9 circumstances had been reported.
It’s price noting that 133/230 circumstances (57.8%) concern youngsters and adolescents <18 years outdated whereas 58/230 (25.2%) concern infants <12 months outdated. Lastly, 34/230 (14.8%) concern infants aged <2 months, 2 of which ended up and at the least three required hospitalization within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Pertussis is an endemic illness with outbreaks occurring each three to 5 years, even in areas with excessive vaccination protection. Infants are at best threat of significant sickness and demise, and virtually all deaths in European nations have occurred in infants below three months of age.
Defending infants from severe sickness and demise from whooping cough is among the predominant objectives of vaccination applications. Well timed vaccination, from the 2nd month of life and the completion of vaccination with all of the required doses of vaccines for kids and adults, in keeping with the Nationwide Immunization Program (NIP), is a fundamental measure to stop whooping cough.
It’s emphasised that the one safety measure for younger infants < 3 months, who present the best morbidity and mortality, is the vaccination of pregnant girls between the twenty seventh - thirty sixth week of being pregnant in keeping with the EPE.
The Nationwide Public Well being Group (EODY) and the Nationwide Immunization Committee (NEC) advocate:
The vigilance of well being professionals (particularly paediatricians, neonatologists, obstetricians-gynecologists, common practitioners, pathologists, pulmonologists) for elevated scientific suspicion (particularly in adults with persistent paroxysmal cough, even with out different signs) with the goal of early initiation of applicable remedy with macrolides. It’s famous that delayed administration of antibiotics is ineffective in treating the illness.
The administration of antimicrobial remedy to all individuals who’ve come into contact with a confirmed case of whooping cough, no matter earlier sickness or vaccination.
Vaccination of all infants and youngsters, in keeping with the Nationwide Immunization Program.
The rapid vaccination of all pregnant girls between the twenty seventh and thirty sixth week of being pregnant with the TdaP vaccine, as can also be beneficial by the related scientific societies: the Affiliation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Greece and the Hellenic Society of Perinatal Drugs.
Vaccination of unvaccinated youngsters earlier than leaving the maternity hospital.
Well timed vaccination of all relations who should not absolutely vaccinated in opposition to pertussis and who come into contact with newborns and infants, at the least two weeks earlier than contact.”