Catalonia detects three outbreaks of whooping cough in Valles | Catalonia | Spain

Cases of whooping cough, a vaccine-preventable disease that causes episodes of whooping cough, are on the rise in Catalonia. In this month and a half of 2024, there have already been 342 infections, which is more than half of the infections that occurred in the entire year of 2023 (530). According to the latest report from the Public Health Agency, three new outbreaks have been detected in Cerdanyol del Vallès (Barcelona), with 18 infections still under investigation. “These are all familial cases,” explains a representative of the Ministry of Health, who does not rule out the discovery of outbreaks in other municipalities in the community.

Document published by the Generalitat and proposed by the newspaper Macaw, also reflects that Catalonia is experiencing a new wave of this infectious disease after the pandemic. At the beginning of the year alone, 45 outbreaks were identified in the locality. There were 67 in 2023. Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by bacteria ( Bordetella pertussis) and can be potentially serious, especially in infants: although it has cold-like symptoms, in worst cases it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and episodes of loss of consciousness. A ministry spokesperson explains via email that control measures in the event of an outbreak include isolation, treating the patient with antibiotics and vaccinating people who have had some contact. And he warns that children who are not fully immunized may develop pneumonia.

Medical recommendations against this disease have been established since 1984 in the systematic vaccination schedule. Since then, doses have been administered at two, four and 11 month intervals. At ages six, 14, 40 and 65, other reminder doses are administered. However, despite the fact that immunological coverage in the first years of life is about 95%, a colossal increase in incidence was detected in 2011: over the year the number of cases increased fivefold, from 325 cases in 2010 to 1572. 2011. C Since then it has not fallen below a thousand patients per year, and in 2015 it reached a large peak with 3,435 cases, the highest since vaccination began in 1984. There were 5,745 cases that year.

If an outbreak occurs in a school or kindergarten, the surveillance department may recommend close contact prevention in the classroom and in team sports. Children and educational staff with a suspicious clinical picture (in the event of an outbreak or vulnerable contacts) or who have confirmed cases of whooping cough should begin treatment with antibiotics and not attend the educational center for five days from the start of treatment. , antibiotic.

Whooping cough is a cyclical disease that occurs every four to five years. Pregnant women and children under one year of age are populations that may suffer from more complex disease. The Ministry of Health reminds that preventive vaccinations for pregnant women, about 85% of them, are carried out after 27–26 weeks of pregnancy to achieve double protection.

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