The variety of instances of whooping cough has elevated in Europe in current months, and Greece has not been affected. In our nation alone within the first months of 2024, 230 instances of EODY have been reported, and in the entire yr of 2023 solely 9 have been reported. On account of the illness outbreak, two infants died, and three others have been admitted to the ICU.
In additional element, in current months the variety of whooping cough instances has elevated in comparison with earlier years in lots of European nations – together with our nation – (Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Norway, the Spain, Sweden, Montenegro, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Serbia).
Who and why pertussis is threatened
The reported enhance in pertussis instances is probably going associated to the under-immunization of sure age teams in addition to the decrease circulation of the pathogen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In accordance with the info obtainable from the ECDC, probably the most affected age teams are kids, younger adolescents, in addition to infants who haven’t been vaccinated or who haven’t accomplished their vaccination.
In Greece, from the start of the yr 2024 till 30.05.2024, 230 instances of whooping cough have been reported for EODY, and within the yr 2023, 9 instances have been reported. It’s value noting that 133/230 (57.8%) concern kids and adolescents <18 years of age and 58/230 (25.2%) concern infants <12 months of age. Lastly, 34/230 (14.8%) concerned infants <2 months of age, of which 2 and at the least 3 required hospitalization within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). .
All toddler deaths from whooping cough in Europe contain infants underneath three months of age – In Greece two infants died
Pertussis is an endemic illness and outbreaks happen each three to 5 years, even in areas with excessive vaccination protection. Infants are most susceptible to critical sickness and loss of life, with virtually all deaths in European nations occurring in infants underneath three months of age.
Vaccination is a key safety measure
One of many most important targets of vaccination applications is to guard infants from critical sickness and loss of life from whooping cough. Well timed vaccination, from the 2nd month of life and completion of vaccination with all the mandatory doses of vaccines for kids and adults in line with the Nationwide Immunization Program (NIP) is a fundamental measure to forestall whooping cough.
It’s emphasised that the one safety measure for younger infants < 3 months that exhibits the best morbidity and mortality is the vaccination of pregnant ladies between the twenty seventh - thirty sixth week of being pregnant in line with the EPE.
The Nationwide Public Well being Group (EODY) and the Nationwide Immunization Committee (NEC) suggest:
- Surveillance of well being professionals (particularly pediatricians, neonatologists, obstetricians-gynecologists, common practitioners, pathologists, pulmonologists) for elevated medical suspicion (particularly in adults with persistent paroxysmal cough, even with out different signs) with the purpose of initiating acceptable remedy early with macrolides. It’s famous that delayed administration of antibiotics is ineffective in treating the illness.
- Give antimicrobial remedy to everybody who has come into contact with a confirmed case of whooping cough, no matter earlier sickness or vaccination.
- Vaccination of all infants and youngsters in line with the Nationwide Immunization Program
- Instantly vaccinate all pregnant ladies between the twenty seventh and thirty sixth week of being pregnant with the TdaP vaccine, as additionally advisable by the related scientific societies: the Greek Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Hellenic Society of Perinatal Drugs.
- Vaccinate unvaccinated kids earlier than leaving the maternity ward
- Well timed vaccination of all members of the family who will not be totally vaccinated in opposition to pertussis and who come into contact with newborns and infants, at the least two weeks earlier than contact.