Despite childhood vaccination rates at all-time highs, pertussis (whooping cough) has re-emerged over the past two decades, especially among adolescents, adults, and young infants. Because of this resurgence, federal health policymakers are considering a national booster vaccination program.
An analysis by Harvard Medical School researchers in the June issue of Pediatrics offers support for the adolescent booster, concluding that one-time vaccination at 11 years of age may potentially be cost-effective.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meets on June 29-30 and will consider pertussis boosters. Combined acellular pertussis vaccines for adolescents and adults are available in Canada, Australia, and Germany.
Led by Grace Lee, MD, MPH, Harvard Medical School Instructor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention at the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention's Center for Child Health Care Studies, the researchers compared six vaccination strategies, ranging from no vaccination after age 6 to adolescent and adult vaccination with 10-year boosters. The computer simulation model used incorporated existing data on pertussis incidence, disease outcomes, vaccine efficacy, vaccine costs, and side effects. (The Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention is a unique research and teaching collaboration between Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Harvard Medical School.)