Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2009 Dec;16(2):175-182.

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Pertussis in Children, Cheonan, Korea

• Lee KS
• Son JS
• Chung EH
• Bae HK
• Lee MJ
• Yu J
• Chang YP
• Park WS
• Kim JK
• Rheem I
• Roh EJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
A number of countries have experienced an increase in pertussis during the past decade. In particular, there has been an increase in the incidence rate among adolescents and adults. To learn more about the current epidemiology of pertussis, we studied the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pertussis in children in Cheonan, South Korea.
METHODS
We collected nasopharyngeal aspirates of 118 patients who were treated for respiratory symptoms at Dankook Univeristy Hospital between March 2008 and September 2009. We performed multiplex PCR for detection of Bordetella pertussis in those aspirates.
RESULTS
Of the 118 patients, 10 (8%) were positive by PCR for B. pertussis. Six episodes occurred during the period July to September 2009. Nine of the 10 patients were less than 3 months old. Seven of them had not received DTaP vaccine. The mean duration of coughing before diagnosis was 10.9+/-5.2 days. Ten patients (100%) had paroxysmal cough and 8 (80%) had post-tussive vomiting. Only one patient had fever. One who had complications that include pneumonia, atelectasis and pneumomediastinum developed an absolute increase in leukocyte count (84,400/mm3). There was a statistically significant relation between vaccine being received and development of complications (P=0.033).
CONCLUSION
We suspect that there was an epidemic of pertussis between July and September 2009. Further investigation by a pediatric or nationwide surveillance system is needed to monitor the changing epidemiology for pertussis.

Keyword

Pertussis; Multiplex polymerase chain reaction; Children

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Bordetella pertussis
Child
Cough
Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines
Fever
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Leukocyte Count
Mediastinal Emphysema
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Organothiophosphorus Compounds
Pneumonia
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Republic of Korea
Vomiting
Whooping Cough
Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines
Organothiophosphorus Compounds