Priming with Whole-Cell versus Acellular Pertussis Vaccine

Abstract

From January through August 2012, Oregon had its highest annual tally of reported pertussis cases since 1959. The incidence was highest among infants and children between 10 and 14 years of age. Increasing disease among school-aged children despite high vaccination coverage may be in part a consequence of using acellular pertussis vaccines (diphtheria–tetanus–acellular pertussis, or DTaP), which in 1997 were approved and recommended for all childhood series instead of whole-cell pertussis vaccines (diphtheria–tetanus–whole-cell pertussis, or DTwP).¹ We wanted to examine the effectiveness of first-dose DTwP priming in children fully immunized with DTaP beyond their first year of life and in those who subsequently received a tetanus–diphtheria–acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster.