title: [Pertussis in 1998].
abstract: In 1998 further global increase in reported cases of pertussis in Poland was observed. The total number of reported cases was 2871 including 854 cases reported in 1998 which occurred in 1997. Most of the cases accumulated in first quarter of the year, with subsequent decrease in the second half of the year, to the level below observed in 1997 in the same seasons. So the most evident increase of the incidence of pertussis was present in the last two quarters of 1997 and first quarter of 1998. Observed temporary increase of pertussis incidence occurred without any significant changes in vaccination coverage and does not seem to be related to changes in vaccine effectiveness. In last two years increased incidence of pertussis was observed in all age groups, but in older ones: 5-9, 10-14 increase in incidence was higher (Table III). Major problem in reporting of pertussis in Poland is small fraction of cases confirmed by culture or by ELISA test, which brings possibility of small specificity of diagnostic procedures used.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Epidemiologii, Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, Warszawa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zieliński
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*