California health officials report on pertussis outbreak

Between January 1 and June 30, 1,337 pertussis cases have been reported to the California Department of Health, indicating an incidence of 3.4 cases per 100,000 population, according to data published this week.

Of 634 pertussis patients, 105 were hospitalized; 66 of these were younger than age 3 months. Incidence was highest among Hispanic infants than all other racial/ethnic populations, CDC officials said.

Health officials speculated that the gaps in California’s vaccination requirements for schoolchildren and inadequate insurance reimbursement for vaccinations may be a contributing factor to the outbreak. California is one of 11 states that does not require pertussis boosters for middle-school aged children.

Health officials in California are attempting to prevent the spread of pertussis to vulnerable infants by providing educational materials, offering clinical guidance, raising community awareness and offering free tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine to birthing hospitals and local health departments. Writing in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, California health officials said they hope their efforts will support postpartum vaccination of mothers and close contacts of newborns.

CDC. MMWR. 2010;59: 26

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