Introduction: Pertussis, a respiratory disease caused primarily by , is undergoing a resurgence despite decades of high rates of vaccination. The prevention of pertussis in infants presents several challenges, including the waning immunity of the acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine, the limited protection afforded to newborns before they complete the vaccine series, and the existence of gaps in maternal vaccination. Furthermore, the unwillingness or refusal of a considerable number of individuals, including some healthcare workers, to receive vaccinations represents another significant challenge.
Areas Covered: This narrative review provides an updated overview of the ongoing challenge of preventing pertussis in infants and discusses some possible solutions.
Expert Opinion: The ongoing challenge of preventing pertussis in infants is multifaceted. To address these challenging issues, a multi-pronged approach is required. This approach should be designed to address various barriers and increase uptake. It should include measures to strengthen maternal vaccination programs, ensure timely infant vaccinations, improve public education, and continue research into more effective vaccines with longer-lasting immunity.
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Pertussis resurged over the last decade in most countries that replaced the traditional whole-cell pertussis vaccines (wP) by the less reactogenic acellular pertussis vaccines (aP). The aP vaccines induce a Th2-polarized immune response and by a yet unknown mechanism hamper the clearance of from infected nasopharyngeal mucosa. The aP-induced pertussis toxin-neutralizing antibodies effectively prevent the life-threatening pertussis pneumonia in infants, but aP-elicited immunity fails to prevent infection of nasopharyngeal mucosa and transmission of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLow levels of pertussis- and measles-specific IgG antibodies in 6-week-old HIV-exposed and -unexposed Malawian infants: implications for vaccination strategies and role of long term HIV therapy.
J Trop Pediatr
February 2025
National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome Italy.
Serological studies in infants can provide valuable information on the degree of protection conferred by IgG maternal passive transfer during early life. If infant levels are inadequate, protection may be incomplete, increasing the risk of life-threatening diseases such as pertussis and measles, before immunization completion. In addition, HIV infection, -highly prevalent in African countries like Malawi-may impair transplacental antibody transfer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcellular Pertussis Vaccine Given in the Week After Birth Does Not Impair Antibody Responses to Later Childhood Doses.
Pediatr Infect Dis J
March 2025
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
Background: A birth acellular pertussis vaccine may be a valuable alternative for immunity against infant pertussis when a pregnancy pertussis vaccine has not been administered. We assessed whether a birth dose may impair immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to childhood pertussis boosters.
Methods: Children from our previous randomized controlled trial who received a monovalent 3-component aP and hepatitis B vaccine at birth (aP group) or hepatitis B only (control group) followed by Infanrix hexa at 2, 4 and 6 months of age were randomized to receive either high or low-dose diphtheria-tetanus acellular pertussis combination vaccine (DTPa-Infanrix/dTpa-Boostrix) at 18 months and 4 years of age.
Prevalence and associated factors of immunization among under-five children in Somalia.
BMC Public Health
March 2025
Quality Assurance, University of Hargeisa, Hargeisa, Somalia.
Background: Children worldwide can live lives free from various illnesses and disabilities due to vaccination. For instance, vaccination has eliminated smallpox, a deformative and frequently fatal illness that claimed an estimated 300 million lives in the twentieth century. However, due to a lack of access to immunization and other health services, 14.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ongoing challenge of prevention of pertussis in infants: what's new in 2024?
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther
March 2025
Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.
Introduction: Pertussis, a respiratory disease caused primarily by , is undergoing a resurgence despite decades of high rates of vaccination. The prevention of pertussis in infants presents several challenges, including the waning immunity of the acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine, the limited protection afforded to newborns before they complete the vaccine series, and the existence of gaps in maternal vaccination. Furthermore, the unwillingness or refusal of a considerable number of individuals, including some healthcare workers, to receive vaccinations represents another significant challenge.
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