title: Prevalence of pertussis antibodies in umbilical cord blood samples in Catalonia, Spain.
abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of detectable antipertussis antibodies (anti-PT) and recent pertussis infection in a representative sample (n=508) of pregnant women in Catalonia (Spain). Antipertussis (PT) antibodies were determined in cord blood samples using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. The prevalence of detectable anti-PT levels was 72.8% and the prevalence of recent pertussis infection in mothers (cord blood anti-PT level of > or = 195 EU/mL was 1.8%. The (P<0.05) and the prevalence of recent pertussis infection decreased with maternal age (P< 0.01). Results obtained in this study show that it might be necessary to develop a pertussis vaccination program using acellular pertussis vaccines aimed at pregnant women to reduce the risk of pertussis infection during pregnancy and in neonates.
authors.affiliation: General Directorate of Public Health, Department of Health of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. pedro.plans@gencat.net
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Plans
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jansà
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doshi
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plasència
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial