California: 1950s Pertussis Records Broken

As of October 12 (last Tuesday), the number of confirmed, probable, or suspect cases of pertussis in California is 5658. The pertussis caseload has grown by 40% in 1 month (from 4017 on September 14) and has now surpassed the number of pertussis cases that were recorded in the state during the mid-1950s. The latest pertussis incidence rate is 14.5 per 100,000. The death tally remains at 9 (all infants).

According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), pertussis cases peaked in 1950, at 6613, and the highest incidence of pertussis in the state was 16.1 cases per 100,000 in 1959.

In an attempt to stymie the spread of pertussis, the CDPH recommends, in addition to the routine schedule for DTaP during childhood, Tdap for 1) women of childbearing age, 2) persons who are in close contact with infants, 3) healthcare personnel, and 4) individuals with wounds. Tdap is similar to the standard tetanus-diphtheria booster (Td) received by adolescents and adults every 10 years, with an important exception. The Tdap vaccine also boosts immunity against pertussis. According to the CDC, a "single dose of Tdap is recommended for adolescents 11 or 12 years of age, or in place of one Td booster in older adolescents [or] adults age 19 through 64."

DTaP = diptheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis.

Photo of symptomatic child with pertussis from pertussis.com.