Clinical repercussions in pertussis infants post-Tdpa vaccination of pregnant woman: An immunization success?

Introduction: In 2014, there was an epidemic of pertussis in Brazil that caused the death of 129 infants. To control the disease amongst infants under 6 months of age, and especially those under 2 months, the Brazilian Ministry of Health introduced Tdap immunization for all pregnant women. Methods: This study aimed to describe the morbidity and mortality variables of pertussis cases in 969 infants aged under 6 months, comparing the periods before and after the introduction of Tdap vaccine in pregnant women. Data was extracted from the Information System on Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) including every case of pertussis that occurred in the metropolitan region of Recife-Brazil in infants under 6 months from January 2009 to October 2018. In order to analyze the variables, patients were divided into two groups Pre-Tdap(2009-2014), and Post-Tdap (2016-2018). Results: There were no significant differences between the age groups and gender distribution in the period compared. In the Post- Tdap group compared with the Pre-Tdap group, the clinical presentation of pertussis in infants differed with more paroxysmal cough, and more vomiting, less apnea, and cyanosis. During this period, there were fewer complications and no deaths occurred. Conclusions: Maternal immunization with Tdap decreased disease severity, complication rates, and no deaths occurred in infants under 6 months of age diagnosed with pertussis. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study described the morbidity and mortality variables of pertussis cases in infants under 6 months before and after the introduction of Tdap vaccine in pregnant women. The results showed that Tdap vaccination helped reduce the disease severity and complication rates of pertussis in infants, and decreased the occurrence of deaths.