RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Strategies to control pertussis in infants
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 552
OP 555
DO 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302968
VO 98
IS 7
A1 Amirthalingam, Gayatri
YR 2013
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/7/552.abstract
AB The UK is currently in the midst of a large outbreak of pertussis, with the highest morbidity and mortality occurring in young unimmunised infants. This review considers the potential strategies to optimise control of pertussis in infants, including vaccination of (1) adolescents, (2) close household contacts of newborn infants (cocooning), (3) newborn infants and (4) pregnant women. The paper discusses the evidence base for each of these strategies and considers the rationale for the recent introduction of a temporary vaccination programme for pregnant women in the UK in response to the ongoing outbreak.