Clinical and microbiologic features of children presenting with pertussis to a Canadian pediatric hospital during an eleven-year period.
To characterize the morbidity of pertussis in Canada, we did a retrospective review of all children with laboratory-confirmed pertussis seen at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, between 1980 and 1990. A total of 975 patients were identified, of which 223 (23%) were admitted to hospital. The peak incidence of disease was observed in the fall. The incidence of disease did not vary with gender. Only 41% of children admitted had the classical symptoms of pertussis (paroxysmal cough and whoop). Compared with children older than 6 months of age, children younger than 6 months of age were more likely to be hospitalized, tended to be hospitalized longer, were less likely to be age-appropriately vaccinated and were more likely to require intensive care unit monitoring. Seventeen (8%) of 223 children required intensive care unit monitoring, and 12 of these children required mechanical ventilation therapy, for a duration of 3.5 +/- 0.6 days (mean +/- SD). One (0.1%) patient with secondary bacterial pneumonia died. This hospital-based study indicates that pertussis continues to be a cause of serious illness in children, particularly those younger than 6 months of age.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
M
M
Gordon
H D
HD
Davies
R
R
Gold
D017677:Age Distribution; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control
D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine