[Epidemiology and clinical study of Bordetella pertussis in Gran Canaria Island, Spain, in the period 2003-2007].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiological and clinical pattern of a Bordetella pertussis infection (whooping cough) among hospitalised infants in a paediatric hospital in Gran Canaria island (Spain).


METHODS
A retrospective review of the patient hospital records was performed considering only those with a microbiological diagnosis of pertussis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the period September 2003-September 2007.


RESULTS
Forty nine patients were identified, of which 47 were < 6 months of age. The annual incidence of hospitalisation was estimated between 103.9 and 204.5 cases per 100,000 infants < 12 months old. Household members were the potential source of infection in at least 65.3 % of the cases. Clinical data were obtained from 47 patients. Complications occurred in 23.4 % of the patients (11 infants), three of them died (6.4 %). Viral coinfections occurred in 33.3 % of the infants diagnosed with pertussis.


CONCLUSIONS
Pertussis presents a high complication rate among infants < 6 months old. Pertussis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of infants < 6 months old who present with severe pneumonia. Immunization strategies in the adult population must be reviewed and updated in order to attain higher protection of the more vulnerable paediatric population.
Horcajada Herrera
I
I
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
Hernández Febles
M
M
González Jorge
R
R
Colino Gil
E
E
Bordes Benítez
A
A
Pena López
M J
MJ
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*