[Effect of pertussis vaccine in pregnancy and COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of wooping cough].

BACKGROUND

Whooping cough has had an increased incidence and severity specially in infants and maternal immunization has been implemented as a prevention strategy. COVID-19 pandemic seems to decrease the incidence of other respiratory diseases.

METHODS

Retrospective study from 2012 to 2021 to assess the influence of pertussis maternal immunizations and the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in the cases of whooping cough.

RESULTS

960 suspected cases from primary care and hospital, with 130 cases (104 children and 26 adults) being diagnosed of whooping cough. In the post-vaccination period, a reduction in the cases and severity in infants up to 6 months old was observed as well as in the pertussis diagnosis in adult women. There were no whooping cough cases during the COVID-19 period.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the pertussis vaccination in pregnancy and the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic have decreased the number of pertussis cases.