[A patient consulting with a doctor. Photo credit to Pixabay]

For the first time in two decades, pertussis cases marked a record with more than 87 times the number of confirmed cases compared to the past five years.

This year alone, approximately 7,000 people were diagnosed with pertussis, a contrast to the average of 80 cases annually from 2019 to 2023.

Pertussis, the so-called whooping cough or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

It earned the nickname ‘100-day cough’ due to the persistent, violent coughing that persists for an extended period of time.

Historical records, such as the Donguibogam, a medical encyclopedia written by Heo Jun during the Joseon Dynasty, describe symptoms similar to that of pertussis, suggesting the disease has been present since ancient times.

Most of the recent pertussis cases were reported among children and adolescents in the age group 7-19, with most cases occurring in Gyeonggi Province, Gyeongnam Province, Incheon, and Seoul.

There are three stages of pertussis, each stage exhibiting different symptoms and side effects.

The first stage, known as the catarrhal stage, occurs 7 to 10 days after infection.

During this stage, the patient shows signs of a mild cold such as nasal discharge and lethargy.

After 10 to 14 days, the patient exhibits symptoms of the paroxysmal stage, characterized by violent coughing, whooping sounds after coughing fits, and vomiting.

About one-quarter of child patients may also develop pneumonia and otitis media.

In rare cases, pertussis can cause brain damage in infants due to bleeding, swelling, and inflammation in the brain, potentially leading to intellectual disability.

The third stage, called the convalescent stage, is the recovery phase, during which paroxysmal coughs gradually fade over weeks or even months.

Despite its potential fatality, the symptoms of the disease can easily be lessened through proper vaccination, which should be administered to all individuals such as infants, children, adolescents, and adults.

Dr. ChangHae Pyo, the hospital director of Seonam Hospital, stated the importance of antibiotic treatment for individuals who have been exposed to the disease, advising them to monitor for symptoms over the following three weeks.

He highlighted the critical role of vaccination in pertussis prevention, recommending all adults and high-risk groups to be vaccinated if they haven’t already.

Dr. Pyo also added that pertussis patients must be quarantined for at least three weeks after the onset of the paroxysmal stage to prevent the spread of the disease.

Despite the importance of vaccination in preventing pertussis, on August 30th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea temporarily prohibited the use of pertussis vaccines manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline after discovering a 1mm-diameter hole in the outer paper packaging of a single-use needle.

Although the probability of contamination is considered low, the prohibition was inevitable under the Precautionary Principle.

Public anxiety over vaccine side effects has already contributed to stagnant vaccination rates and the packaging defect is expected to further erode confidence.

To increase the vaccination rate and reduce the number of confirmed cases of pertussis, it is crucial to provide citizens with transparent information about the vaccine.