Pertussis in Scotland skyrockets past totals of past decade
During the first eight months of 2024, health officials in Scotland have reported 6,438 laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases. This is by far the most cases seen in the country during the past 10 years (see chart below).
There has been one reported death in Quarter 2 of 2024 in an infant under 1 years old who developed pertussis.
Laboratory-confirmed pertussis case numbers in Scotland have been increasing since late 2023, with a peak in June 2024, followed by a downward trend in July and August 2024.
In 2023, there were 73 laboratory-confirmed cases, the majority of which (n=56) were reported in the final quarter of the year. There were very few pertussis cases reported over the COVID-19 pandemic period. Prior to 2024, the last significant outbreak in Scotland occurred in 2012 and 2013, with 1,896 and 1,188 laboratory confirmed cases per year, respectively. There was also increased pertussis activity in 2016, with 1,075 cases laboratory confirmed cases that year. However officials advise, trends from previous years should be interpreted with caution due to changes in testing methodology. Pertussis is a cyclical infection with increased activity expected every three to five years.
Of all cases in 2024, 61.5% (n=3,960 cases) were aged 15 years or older, 18.2% were in children aged between 10 and 14 years (n=1,171 cases), and 20.3% of cases were in children under 10 years old (n=1,307).
The highest incidence of cases in 2024 so far has been in the age groups 10 to 14 years (386.1 cases per 100,000 population), <1 years old (375.1 cases per 100,000 population), and 5 to 9 years (262.5 cases per 100,000 population).
The prenatal pertussis vaccination uptake in Scotland for April 2023 to March 2024 was 72.6% with NHS board uptake ranging from 59.4% to 86.2%.
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Pertussis (or whooping cough) is an acute bacterial disease of the respiratory tract, resulting from infection with Bordetella pertussis. It can affect people of all ages. Unimmunized infants are more likely to develop complications from pertussis infection which can require hospital treatment and, in severe cases, can be fatal. It is often less severe in adolescents and adults; however, they may suffer a prolonged cough.
Immunization is the most effective way to protect against pertussis
As pertussis continues to circulate in Scotland, immunization of pregnant women and young children is vital. The immunity that young infants receive from their mother, although very important in the first few weeks of life, offers only short-term protection. Therefore, it is important that infants are vaccinated as part of the routine childhood schedule on time to provide longer-term protection.