Pertussis epidemiology in Argentina trends over 2004-2007

D. HOZBOR; F. MOOI; D. FLORES; G. WELTMAN; D. BOTTERO; S. FOSSATI; C. LARA; M.E. GAILLARD; L. PIANCIOLA; E. ZURITA; A. FIORITI; D. ARCHUBY; M. GALAS; N. BINSZTEIN; M. REGUEIRA; C. CASTUMA; M. FINGERMANN; A. GRAIEB

THE JOURNAL OF INFECTION.

Elsevier

Año: 2009 p. 225 - 231

0163-4453

Objectives: Pertussis continues causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.Although its epidemiology has been studied in many developed countries, the currentpertussis situation in South America is scarcely known. This review summarizes the most importantrecent data concerning pertussis in a country of South America, Argentina.Methods: CDC criteria were used for pertussis diagnosis. Proportion of pertussis cases by age,immunization status, and immunization coverage rate evaluated at the Argentinean NationalPertussis Reference Centers was reported. Bordetella pertussis isolates were characterizedand compared with vaccine strains.Results: From 2002 to nowadays, a steady increase of pertussis cases was observed. Most ofthese cases correspond to patients younger than six months old that received less than threedoses of vaccine. However, cases in adolescent and adults have also been detected. For thissituation, which is not peculiar to Argentina, several explanations have been proposed. Amongthem, the inability of current vaccines to induce long-lasting immunity is the most widelyaccepted as a cause of pertussis resurgence. Furthermore, antigenic divergence between localclinical isolates and vaccine strains may have aggravated the effect of waning immunity