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Whooping cough on the rise: what you need to know

An infection can even be life-threatening, especially in infants and young children.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

There has been a sharp increase in cases of whooping cough in Austria: more than 12,000 since January! The number of adults with complications and a long-term course of the disease has increased alarmingly in recent years. The booster vaccination is therefore recommended earlier and more often. We have all the information for you.

In the entire previous year, 2791 cases of this life-threatening infection for infants were registered in this country. This year, 12,789 cases had already been recorded by October 10 alone.

The disease must be reported
While 579 cases of pertussis were reported across Austria in 2015, the numbers had already risen to 2233 infections in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic. With the coronavirus measures, there was only a temporary slump to 632, 129 and 164 cases in the three years from 2020 to 2022. Pertussis is notifiable.

More and more adults are falling ill
What is particularly striking is the significant increase in adult cases, with the 40 to 45 age group being particularly affected. There has also been a significant increase in cases of whooping cough among 15 to 20-year-olds and 65 to 70-year-olds.

Similar disease distributions can be observed worldwide, which can be explained by the loss of the protective effect within a few years after vaccination or after contracting the disease.

• For whom is vaccination important?

Maintaining protection through vaccination and regular booster vaccination is the most effective way to prevent disease. In principle, vaccination against whooping cough is particularly important for women who wish to have children before becoming pregnant, pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy, people in the vicinity of a newborn baby, people working in medical facilities, teachers, etc.

• How often is whooping cough vaccinated?

The vaccination is given as part of the six vaccinations in the 3rd, 5th and 11th to 12th month of life and is part of the free vaccination program. At school age, a combination vaccination with diphtheria, tetanus and polio is repeated in the 7th to 9th year of life.

After basic immunization in infancy and booster vaccination at school age, a booster vaccination with whooping cough as a combination vaccine with diphtheria, tetanus and polio should be given every ten years up to the age of 60 and every five years from the age of 60. If at least two booster vaccinations against polio have already been given in adulthood, a triple vaccine (diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis) is sufficient for all further booster vaccinations.

Fakten

Über Keuchhusten

Whooping cough is a highly contagious infectious disease of the respiratory tract and is mainly caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough is extremely contagious. After one to two weeks, the typical symptoms of the disease appear with barking, bumpy and spasmodic coughing fits, sometimes leading to vomiting.

In addition to the typical coughing attacks, some of which can last for weeks or months, infants and young children are particularly at risk due to particularly severe courses of the disease with accompanying pneumonia and the increased risk of respiratory arrest.

Web addresses

• More information on the topic
• Vaccination schedule Austria

The 30-40 severe coughing fits per day can lead to pulmonary hyperinflation, bleeding of the conjunctiva of the eyes, purulent bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia and/or asthma. A lack of oxygen during coughing fits can also pose a great danger. Babies are particularly at risk because instead of the typical coughing fits, they can sometimes stop breathing, which can lead to sudden death.