Pertussis in children in the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine: results for four years

Oksuz L., Hancerli S., Somer A., Salman N., Gurler N.

TURKISH JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS, vol.56, no.6, pp.632-637, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 56 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Journal Name: TURKISH JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.632-637
  • Keywords: pertussis, PCR, Turkey, BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS, TURKEY, SEROPREVALENCE, SCHOOLCHILDREN, EPIDEMIOLOGY, ANTIBODIES, COUGH
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We investigated the frequency of pertussis among children in the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Hospital during a period of four years. Clinical specimens were obtained from children who exhibited symptoms of whooping cough; a portion of the cases were confirmed microbiologically by PCR as pertussis. A total of 410 nasopharyngeal aspirates were taken for detection of Bordetella pertussis/parapertussis. The age groups of the patients were 0-4 months (n=201), >4 - 12 months (n=49), 1-4 years (n=79), 5-9 years (n=46), 10-14 years (n=27) and >15 years (n=8). 106 (26%) of all samples were positive for B. pertussis/parapertussis by the PCR method. The Bordetella PCR positivity rates were 36% in 2010, 29% in 2011, 15% in 2012 and 15% in 2013. Due to administration of the DTaP-IPV vaccination at seven years of age starting in 2010, pertussis was not detected in the 5-9 age group after that year. According to this result, the five doses of pertussis vaccination administered as the national vaccine scheme are effective in protecting against the infection. A booster dose for adolescents at 14 years of age as well as a cocoon strategy might also be considered in our country.