The disease is characterized by attacks of uncontrollable dry coughing, interspersed with swallowing air and can cause vomiting.
In almost 4 months, the city of São Paulo has already registered twice as many cases of pertussis compared to 2023. So far there have been 17 records and no deaths, compared to 8 diagnoses last year. The increase in notifications brought an alert, but the capital is not experiencing an outbreak, according to the Municipal Health Department, through Covisa (Health Surveillance Coordination). The cases were recorded mainly in the West and South zones.
“This has been happening for a few years and is a reflection of low vaccination adherence”, says infectious disease specialist Emy Akiyama Gouveia, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. In fact, in 10 years, vaccination coverage of the DTP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, has dropped significantly in the country. In 2012, Brazil vaccinated 93.81% of the target audience and the Southeast region achieved the highest coverage (95%). In 2022, the general index was 77.25% and the Southeast fell to 74.79%, show data from DataSUS (the information system of the Unified Health System). Around 1.6 million children did not receive any dose of it between 2019 and 2021, according to data from Unicef.
The vaccine has a high protection rate and must be given in 3 doses, at 2, 4 and 6 months, with a booster at 15 months and 4 years, according to the Ministry of Health calendar. However, immunity, despite long-lasting, it is not permanent and falls off after 5 or 10 years. Hence the importance of boosters in adults every 10 years.
According to the infectious disease specialist, this helps to reduce the circulation of bacteria and protect children and babies. There is also an acellular vaccine (dTpa) that pregnant women should take from the 20th week of pregnancy and which offers protection to the newborn.
Caused by Bordetella pertussis, a bacteria that lives in people’s throats, whooping cough is also called “whooping cough” and is characterized by attacks of uncontrollable dry coughing, interspersed with ingestion of air, which causes a high-pitched sound, like a squeak or hiss. There may also be vomiting and shortness of breath, leading to cyanosis – a state in which the person has a blue-purple color due to the lack of oxygen in the blood.
The disease occurs mainly in children under 1 year of age due to an incomplete vaccination schedule. Depending on the status of the immunization, it can cause pneumonia, seizures and nervous system impairment, and even lead to death.
Transmission occurs via the respiratory route and through droplets of saliva when a person talks, coughs or sneezes. Treatment is with antibiotics and the earlier it is, the greater the chance of reducing the severity and transmissibility of the disease.
With information from Einstein Agency.
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