[Time for booster doses against whooping cough for 10-year-old children]

Abstract

Acellular pertussis vaccine was introduced in Sweden in 1996 at the age of 3, 5 and 12 months, after a 17 year period without general vaccination against pertussis. At present, the incidence of notified pertussis has decreased to 1/10 of what was seen 10 years ago. In spite of the dramatic decrease, the disease is not eliminated. In accordance with the experience of other countries, most cases in Sweden are reported among older children and adults, while the highest risk of severe disease is still seen in infants. Many industrialized countries have introduced booster dose(s) in order to control the spread of pertussis. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has recently initiated a major revision of the vaccines used and the schedule of the national vaccination program. Until the final proposal and in order not to miss the opportunity to boost pertussis immunity in children who were vaccinated as infants at the reintroduction of pertussis vaccination, the Board now recommends the Swedish municipalities as an interim measure to include pertussis in the current school booster against diphtheria and tetanus at 10 years of age with a full dose vaccine.