the figures “worry us a lot”, testifies the president of the Pediatric Infectious Pathology Group

“The main risk of whooping cough is newborn toddlers, infants less than four months old, who have not yet had time to be vaccinated,” recalls Robert Cohen, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist, on Wednesday on franceinfo.

The figures for whooping cough, which has seen a rebound in recent months, “worry us a lot”, testifies Professor Robert Cohen, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at the Créteil intercommunal hospital center (Val-de-Marne), president of the Pediatric Infectious Pathology Group, on franceinfo Wednesday June 5. Nearly 6,000 cases were recorded in the first five months of the year, much more than in all of 2023, according to data from the Pasteur Institute.

“The main risk of whooping cough is newborn toddlers, infants under four months of age, who have not yet had time to be vaccinated”because “they are the ones who cause the serious forms of the disease”, continues the pediatrician. He explains that “virtually all infants who get whooping cough before three months of age require hospitalization.” “A significant part of them will go to intensive care, and then we know that a part will die”, he adds. For healthy adults, “whooping cough is a serious, long-term, disabling, annoying disease, but it is not life-threatening.”

The whooping cough vaccine is administered in two doses, with a first dose at two months and a second at four months. “By the time the vaccine is active, two doses are required,” specifies the infectious disease specialist. There is then a booster at 11 months. “The solution recommended for years has been the vaccination of pregnant women between the second and third trimesters, because they transmit their antibodies to the child,” and so “she protects him”, explains Professor Robert Cohen. According to him“we are not good at this, the recommendation is not very old, it is just two years old and it is not yet sufficiently applied”.

“Treatment is not enough, prevention is the most important thing.”

Robert Cohen, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist

on franceinfo

The president of the Pediatric Infectious Pathology Group gives three explanations for this rebound in whooping cough cases. First of all, “We have, every three or four years, a more or less severe cycle of whooping cough” And “this year it is particularly important”, according to him. Afterwards, “vaccination coverage, apart from pregnant women, in adults and around children in particular”, are not sufficient. Finally, the health restrictions taken during Covid caused a “immune debt” And “now we have a catch-up which is extremely important”, not only for whooping cough, but also for “a good ten” other diseases.