On January 18, 2011, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announces a death from pertussis in a newborn infant.The case was a female infant who was born at the end of 2010.When the baby was born, she was put under the care of the doctors at the obsterics and gynecology clinic where she was delivered for 10 days before returning home.On the day of her return, she developed slight cough and was diagnosed with a suspected cold at a pediatrician clinic.On January 5, 2011, when she developed fever, cough with mucus, cyanosis and vomiting, she was referred to a medical center for further treatment in an isolation unit.On January 10, she was reported to the health authority.Two days later, the baby died of septic shock.After laboratory testing, Taiwan CDC confirmed association between her death and pertussis.According to the epidemiological investigation, the mother of the case developed cough a few days before delivery and sought medical attention.Taiwan CDC personnel have been conducting contact tracing of all persons who may have had close contact with the case, including the parents of the case and medical personnel at the obsterics and gynecology clinic where she was delivered. The personnel have been collecting specimen from and giving prophylaxis to relevant contacts. In addition, relevant contacts have been advised to monitor their health for a period of time.As of now, no new suspected case has occurred.Currently, there is another pertussis case in a newborn infant and the case is presently hospitalized for treatment and gradually recovering.Taiwan CDC urges parents to take precautions to protect their children.

Pertussis is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis.It is primarily transmitted through airborne droplets. The clinical symptoms include cough that lasts at least two weeks, followed by paroxysmal cough, inspiratory whoop or vomiting after coughing.Pertussis is common in children aged below 5, but it can happen to people at any age with milder symptoms.According to the surveillance data collected by Taiwan CDC, during the recent years, the number of pertussis cases reported each year varies between 40 and 90.The majority of the cases are unvaccinated infants and children.The most recent death from pertussis occurred in a one-month-old male baby in 2003.Nevertheless, the number of pertussis cases among teenagers has been on the rise over the recent years.Further, pertussis has been pretty widespread in some advanced countries such as Australia and the United States.

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public that vaccination is effective at preventing pertussis. In Taiwan, the existing routine childhood vaccination schedule recommends one dose of pertussis vaccine to children 2, 4, 6 and 18 months of age and first graders in elementary schools.Parents are urged to ensure their children have timely vaccination in order to protect their children from the threat of disease. Nowadays, as extensive stocks of vaccine are readily available and most children get timely immunizations, pertussis usually spreads from adults or older children to younger children.Hence, people are urged to pay attention to personal hygiene, especially when returning home from the outside.Prior to contacting infants and children, one should wash his/her hands and change clothes to prevent passing on germs to the infants and children.Avoid visiting crowded and poorly ventilated public places and hospitals with infants and children. If symptoms develop, please seek immediate medical attention, put on a mask, follow the doctor’s instructions in completing the treatment, and cooperate with the health authorities in implementing relevant infection control measures to prevent further transmission of the disease.

As babies under the age of 6 months are at higher risk for pertussis infection, their primary sources of infection include their mothers and other caregivers.Several countries have subsequently recommended women of childbearing age who are not vaccinated against pertussis to receive one dose of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine to prevent pertussis infection and passing the infection to children.Pregnant women who have not received the Tdap vaccine should receive the vaccine after delivery and prior to hospital discharge. Personnel at healthcare facilities and postnatal care centers are also recommended to receive one dose of Tdap vaccine to prevent pertussis infection and passing pertussis to newborn babies, improving the quality of health care delivery in Taiwan. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website: http://www.cdc.gov.tw/ or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922.