title: Preventing the Spread of Pertussis in Pediatric Healthcare Settings.
abstract: The surge in pertussis incidence in recent years underscores a critical need for effective plans to prevent transmission in pediatric healthcare settings. Adolescents and adults are common sources of infection for unimmunized or incompletely immunized infants and children with waning immunity. Despite documented outbreaks being limited in size, pertussis poses a threat to pediatric healthcare facilities due to the risk for widespread transmission, potentially severe complications among vulnerable patient populations, and high outbreak control-related costs. Healthcare personnel, visitors, and parents have been identified as sources of outbreaks, underscoring the importance of coordinated efforts to prevent transmission in these settings. This comprehensive review demonstrates that the risk of pertussis transmission in pediatric healthcare settings warrants heightened focus on strategies to recognize disease earlier, improve diagnostic evaluation, and facilitate effective contact tracing and post-exposure prophylaxis measures. This review suggests that healthcare personnel can play a significant role in the prevention of healthcare-associated pertussis.
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia;
authors.forename: Tirza A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Pediatrics and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection Prevention and Control, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Pediatrics and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection Prevention and Control, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sammons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001886:Bordetella pertussis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: control; infection; nosocomial; pediatric; pertussis; prevention