In the United States recorded the largest in half a century pertussis outbreak
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The largest in the past half century, the epidemic of whooping cough is recorded in the United States. This during a press briefing was told by the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Anne Shukat, the press service of the supervisory department.
According to E. Shukat, the number of cases of pertussis registered in 2012 came close to 18 thousand. The largest outbreaks of infection were recorded on the territory of Washington and Wisconsin, each of which has more than 3 thousand people. Nine cases of infection ended in a lethal outcome.
The Minister of Health of the State of Washington, Mary Selecki, noted that the bulk of patients are children and adolescents. In particular, the greatest number of cases of whooping cough was recorded in the age groups 10, 13 and 14 years. Americans of this age were vaccinated with a new vaccine, which was introduced since 1997.
In this regard, US health authorities intend to conduct an investigation to find a link between vaccine use and adolescent disease. Head of the Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases CDC recommended that all adult Americans, including pregnant women, underwent revaccination against pertussis.