Pertussis: of epidemic proportions.

摘要

In June 2010, the California Department of Public Health declared a pertussis epidemic in the state. Statistics showed that California was experiencing a record number of cases and anticipated that it could be the worst outbreak in 50 years. By the month's end, state officials had confirmed 1337 cases, with 5 confirmed infant deaths (mortality is highest in infants younger than 6 months). Across the nation there have been increasing numbers of reported cases of pertussis in the past few decades. It is believed that the reported cases represent only a small portion of the estimated hundreds of thousands of actual cases in the United States. Despite the availability of a vaccine for more than half a century, pertussis remains a global endemic illness associated with significant morbidity across all age groups, high rates of infant mortality, and high medical costs.