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PERTUSSIS - AUSTRALIA: (SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 5 Nov 2009
Source: Adelaide Now [edited]
<http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26306408-5006301,00.html>
South Australia is experiencing its worst whooping cough [pertussis]
outbreak on record and babies are the main victims of the potentially fatal
and highly infectious disease. Babies are most vulnerable as they are too
young to be [fully] immunized, and rely upon "herd immunity", the high
immunisation of those around them.
SA Health has received almost 3500 reports in 2009, compared with 859 at
the same time in 2008 and 318 in 2007. National statistics show the rate in
South Australia is twice as high as the national average. A 4 week old NSW
baby who died in March 2009 was the 1st fatality from the disease in a
decade. Since then it is understood 2 other children have died.
SA Health Communicable Disease Control branch director Dr Ann Koehler said
nationally there had been a "big wave" of infections. She said SA had the
highest rate, although it was not clear why. Dr Koehler said more cases
were being diagnosed as people were tested for swine flu. She said SA had
recorded the highest number of notifications since records started being
kept in 1991, and warned that people needed to be vigilant about
vaccinations to protect vulnerable children.
"The highest rates of infection we're seeing are children who are too young
to be vaccinated," Dr Koehler said. "With children, brain damage can be a
really serious complication. While they're trying to cough, they stop
breathing. Little children also get hernias and might need surgery to fix
that."
About 95 per cent of SA children are immunized, but Dr Koehler said SA
Health was concerned about some people's resistance to or complacency about
vaccinating children. She warned homeopathic "vaccines" did not work.
"That's wasting your money ... you're putting yourself, your children and
other people's children at risk," she said.
[byline: Tory Shepard]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail and HealthMap
<promed@promedmail.org>
[In assessing the durability of pertussis vaccination in children, some
researchers noted that "Reported cases and outbreaks in older children and
young adults may reflect a less durable vaccine-induced protection than
seen in natural disease (Cherry JD, Brunell PA, Golden GA, Karzon, DT.
Report of the task force on pertussis and pertussis immunization - 1988.
Pediatrics 1988; 81(June Suppl): 955). The duration of protection has
varied in several studies, depending on the epidemiological setting; that
is, prevalence of natural disease as well as the vaccine product used. A
study in Michigan showed an efficacy of 80 per cent 3 years after the last
dose, 50 per cent between 4 and 7 years, and virtually none after 12 years.
Breakthrough disease noted in this study was usually mild."
Because of these and similar findings, it is now recommended to reimmunize
teenagers and give adults between 19 and 64 year old a TdaP [tetanus, low
dose diphtheria, acellular pertussis] booster substituted for one of the
every 10 year Td vaccines [detailed adult immunisation practices vary
worldwide. - Mod.SH]. - Mod.LL
The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for South Australia is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00N_> - CopyEd.EJP]
[see also:
Pertussis, atypical cases - USA: (CO), RFI 20090825.2996
Undiagnosed resp. deaths - Nicaragua: (JI), pertussis, susp., RFI
20090404.1306
2008
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Pertussis, schoolchildren - USA: (SD) 20081107.3501
2007
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Pertussis, school district - USA (02): (WI) 20071111.3662
Pertussis, school district - USA: (OH) 20071106.3610
Pertussis - USA (MS): RFI 20070819.2709
Bordetella holmesii, pertussis-like illness - Canada (ON) (02) 20070714.2261
Bordetella holmesii, pertussis-like illness - Canada (ON) 20070711.2215
2006
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Pertussis, hospital employees - USA (MA) (02) 20061109.3219
Pertussis, hospital employees - USA (MA) 20061102.3137
Pertussis - Papua New Guinea (East Sepik) 20060612.1641
Pertussis - Canada (ON) 20060209.0431
2005
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Pertussis, adult vaccine - USA 20050614.1669
Pertussis, adolescent vaccine - USA 20050511.1293
Pertussis, fatal - Afghanistan (Daykundi) 20050125.0274
2003
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Pertussis - Sudan (Equatoria): susp. (02) 20031004.2499
Pertussis - Sudan (Equatoria): susp. 20031003.2488
2000
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Pertussis - Australia (New South Wales) 20001105.1930
1997
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Pertussis - Australia (05) 19971213.2478
Pertussis - Australia 19971208.2447]
..................ll/ejp/sh
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